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Your Part in God’s Plan, Part 4

Bible Reading: Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

The story is told of a tiny English chapel whose stone walls were covered by ivy. Over an arch was inscribed the words: WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED. For many years a generation of godly men did exactly that: they preached Christ crucified. But times changed. The ivy grew and pretty soon covered the last word. The inscription now read: WE PREACH CHRIST. Other men came and they did preach Christ: Christ the example, Christ the humanitarian, Christ the ideal teacher. As the years passed, the ivy continued to grow until finally the inscription read: WE PREACH. The generation that came along then did just that: they preached economics, social gospel, book reviews, just about anything.

Acts 1:8, “You shall be My witnesses.”  There are two main parts to Peter’s first sermon.  Acts 2:14-21 is an introduction.  Peter says “this is that” in explaining why it was that the disciples were speaking in tongues.  The heart of the sermon is Acts 2:22-36.  Note this about that part of the sermon.  It begins and ends with Jesus.  The first important word uttered is “Jesus” (Acts 2:22).  The last phrase in the sermon?  “This Jesus whom you crucified.”  So we have in this sermon the great theme, which is the great theme of all the Scriptures—the person and work of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul summed up the concern of His ministry in these same terms.  1 Corinthians 2:2, “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”

D. L. Moody once said that the “main thing is keeping the main thing the main thing.”  And we find here, in Peter’s first sermon, the main thing.  The main thing is bearing witness of Christ.

And note also how Peter elaborates on these truths.  His message was to Jews and proselytes.  His chief concern was to affirm to them that Jesus is the Christ.  So, he speaks of how this truth was affirmed in the life of Jesus—in the miracles that He performed (Acts 2:22).  One question that would have puzzled those folks was how could the Messiah die.  So, Peter spoke of the death of Jesus being by “the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23).  Then he proved the resurrection of Christ both by prophecy and his own witness (Acts 2:24-32).  And finally spoke of the ascension of Jesus Christ to the right hand of God (Acts 2:33-36).

His message?  The life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.

And this Christ-centeredness continued on in the ministry of the early church.  This is a test for us.  The ministry of the Spirit of God is to glorify the Son of God.  There is something wrong with a church when it is diverted or distracted from its ministry of bearing witness to Jesus.  To be sure, the Spirit of God is not at work if there is a failure in this regard.  And, on the other side of the coin, there is nothing of more importance or of greater need that for the church to bear witness of Him.  Salvation is bound up in Christ alone.  That is why Peter and John later said to their persecutors: “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).  And why they said, “We cannot stop speaking of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).

The early church was preaching the gospel.  That’s what we need to do.  We need to work together for that purpose.  Both living out and proclaiming the truth of the gospel: “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).

I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY

I love to tell the story
of unseen things above,
of Jesus and his glory,
of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story
because I know it’s true;
it satisfies my longings
as nothing else can do.

Refrain:
I love to tell the story;
‘twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story
of Jesus and his love.

I love to tell the story,
for those who know it best
seem hungering and thirsting
to hear it like the rest.
And when in scenes of glory
I sing the new, new song,
‘twill be the old, old story
that I have loved so long. [Refrain]

Your Part in God’s Plan, Part 3

Bible Reading: Acts 1:8; John 14:16-26, 16:7-14

Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Jesus spoke five times in His Farewell Discourse of the pending ministry of the Holy Spirit.  And in Acts 1:4, He commanded His apostles to “wait for what the Father had promised.”  And in Acts chapter 2, we read of how the Apostles were filled with the Spirit—Just like Jesus had promised.  That they spoke in tongues gets a lot of attention from folks.  But the Spirit’s ministry in the lives of those people was about far more than just speaking in tongues.  Jesus had spoken to His disciples of the ministry of the Spirit (John chapters 14-16).  How they would be forever indwelt by Him.  How He would teach them and bring to their remembrance the things that Jesus had taught them.  How He would bear witness of Jesus and empower them to do the same.  How He would be in the world convicting of sin and righteousness and judgment.  How the Spirit would glorify Jesus Christ.

According to Acts 1:8, one of His chief ministries would be to empower them to bear witness of Jesus.  And we find evidence of that in Acts chapter 2.  Not many weeks prior, Peter had failed to bear witness of Christ.  After affirming his unwavering allegiance, he declared that he was prepared even to die with Him.  But he ultimately failed miserably when he denied Jesus three times.  He denied ever knowing Jesus.  He denied Jesus even to a slave girl. But in Acts chapter 2, we read of how cowardly Peter was made courageous by the power of the Holy Spirit.  He stood before that great crowd of people and forthrightly proclaimed the truth about Jesus Christ. 

But the Spirit was also at work in the hearts of those who were listening to Peter’s sermon.  They were Jews and proselytes.  The crucifixion had taken place mere weeks before.  Some of Peter’s listeners had likely been there, crying out with the multitude “Crucify Him, crucify Him.”  But Peter affirmed to them the truth about Jesus, that He is the Christ.  And how He died and rose again as their Savior-Messiah.  Under conviction of the Spirit, those previously hard-hearted listeners were “pierced to the heart” (Acts 2:37).  And 3000 people believed unto salvation.  Salvation was the result when Spirit-empowered preaching met with Spirit-prepared hearts.

Note the promise made by Peter to them.  “And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  And they did.  “They were born of the Spirit with life from above into God’s family divine.”  And the things that they did after that day were things that they were Spirit-led and empowered to do.  The Spirit not only caused them to be born again, but worked an incredible transformation in them.

Now every born-again believer had shared in that same experience, having likewise been indwelt by the Spirit (Romans 8:9; Titus 3:5-6; John 7:37-39). 

The great work that took place at the beginning of the Church was a work of the Spirit.  In fact, the book of Acts would be better entitled, “The Acts of the Holy Spirit.”  The words “of the Apostles” are not a part of the inspired text.  The Spirit is referred to repeatedly throughout the book.

We need to realize this about our lives and ministries.  God does not call upon us to do the things He calls upon us to do in the power of the flesh, for it is as Jesus taught, “the flesh profits nothing” (John 6:63; Philippians 3:3).  Human wisdom, strength and self-effort are all inadequate.

A.W. Tozer once said, “If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference. If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference.” But you have the Spirit. And by the Spirit, you’ve a message to share. Lord, grant us Spirit-borne compassion, courage, and wisdom that we may be empowered to take full advantage of every opportunity to share the truth about You in this needy day!

STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS

Stand up, stand up for Jesus
ye soldiers of the cross;
lift high his royal banner,
it must not suffer loss.
From vict’ry unto vict’ry
his army he shall lead
till ev’ry foe is vanquished
and Christ is Lord indeed.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
the trumpet call obey;
forth to the mighty conflict
in this his glorious day.
Ye that are men now serve him
against unnumbered foes;
let courage rise with danger
and strength to strength oppose.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
stand in his strength alone;
the arm of flesh will fail you,
ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the gospel armor,
each piece put on with prayer;
where duty calls or danger,
be never wanting there.

Your Part in God’s Plan, Part 2

Bible Reading: Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

In Acts 1:8, we read of Jesus’ church-building plan.  These words mark His last statement to His disciples.  He had previously spoken of His purpose to build His church (Matthew 16:18).  And now the time has come for His departure.  He gathered His disciples together.  He commanded them “not to leave Jerusalem” but to “wait for what the Father had promised” (Acts 1:4) and unveiled to them His plan (Acts 1:8).  Then He ascended into heaven.

Note the inherent simplicity of His plan.  A mere 37 words in the NASB.  Jesus spoke to them about a message and a means.  And that’s it.  No church growth strategy.  No elaborate methodology.  No programs.  These men and a message and the means by which it would be proclaimed.  Ordinary men supernaturally empowered to proclaim an extraordinary message.

Who were these men, these 11 disciples who were entrusted with this great — “I will build My church” plan?  They were ordinary in every way.  Not one of these men was a scholar.  They were not orators or theologians.  Their natural talents and intellectual abilities were in no way outstanding.  The Sanhedrin later recognized Peter and John to be “uneducated and untrained men” (Acts 4:13).  They were men prone to failure.  Jesus even stated that they were slow learners and spiritually dense (Luke 24:25).  They sometimes argued amongst themselves.  When Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, they slept.  When Jesus was arrested, they fled.  Even after Jesus rose from the dead, they hid.  They were far from perfect!  They were people like you and me.  Yet, God used these men, as one antagonist against the church put it, to turn the world upside down (Acts 17:6). 

Why would Jesus choose men like that?  And note that He did choose them.  They were men given to Him by the Father (John 17:6).  He spent the “whole night in prayer to God” before He chose them (Luke 6:12).  I think it is safe to say that it is not the group that men would have chosen.  Men would have chosen men from amongst the religious elite — the wealthy, the powerful, the influential.  But God chose these men—fishermen, political zealots, and a former tax-gatherer.

God has a purpose in choosing men like that!  God has a purpose in choosing people like us to do the work that He has given us to do.  He is well-pleased to use such folks, even as 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 explains, “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.”

Why has God purposed to choose “the foolish, weak, base, and despised things of the world?”  Why are there not many “wise, mighty, or noble?”  He has deliberately chosen the have nots, to shame the haves.  He has set things on their head and turned them upside down.  The world is enamored with human wisdom, human power, human fame, and human ability.  God takes those who are lacking such things and makes much of them by His power.  He takes empty vessels and fills them.  That’s what He does in salvation.

Consider Acts 1:8 again.  That was Jesus’ plan.  He had said, “I will build My church.”  Here’s the plan.  You go and bear witness of Me!  That’s it.  That’s the plan.  Jesus chose to do it that way.  Pretty simple isn’t it?  Too simple, some might say.  But that’s the way God likes to do things.  He’s well-pleased to invest His treasure in ordinary jars of clay—“that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:7).  That is how God has designed it to work.  Every assembly of believers is an assembly of clay jars.  Ordinary, fragile, breakable, imperfect.  But remove the lid and look inside.  What do you see?  There’s treasure in those clay pots.  Christ is in there.  And His presence inside makes all the difference.  God chose you.  And you have an important role to play in the work God is doing!

SHARE HIS LOVE

The Love Of God Is Broader
Than Earth’s Vast Expanse,
‘Tis Deeper And Wider
Than The Sea.
Love Reaches Out To All
To Bring Abundant Life,
For God So Loved The World
His Only Son He Gave.

Chorus: Share His Love By Telling
What The Lord Has Done For You,
Share His Love
By Sharing Of Your Faith,
And Show The World
That Jesus Christ Is Real To You
Every Moment, Every Day.

All Those Who Have Trusted
In God’s Only Son,
And Hold This Precious Treasure
In Their Hearts,
Seek Ways To Make It Known
To All Who Need To Know
That God So Loved The World
His Only Son He Gave. [chorus]

We show the love of God
Each day we live
Reveal Christ’s presence
In our lives
And how the Holy Spirit
Guides us day by day
For God so loved the World
His Only Son He Gave. [chorus]

Your Part in God’s Plan, Part 1

Bible Reading: Matthew 16:18; Acts 1:8

Matthew 16:18, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into HIs marvelous light.”

My friend in India recently sent me a video of a worship service.  He lives in one of the most persecuted regions in the world.  The video shows a group of folks gathered on a Sunday to worship Jesus.  Not a large group, maybe 25, including people both young and old.  A drummer is leading the group as they sing praises to their Lord.  Their building is austere at best, constructed of mere poles and tarps with bricks for a floor.  Surrounding the church is a large group of Hindu activists.  They’ve gathered to disrupt and put an end to the worship service.  One by one, the activists strip away the tarps which make up the walls.  Still the worshipers sing on.  They tear away the tarps that cover the roof.  Still the worshipers sing on.  Next comes the interwoven limbs that serve as the roof structure.  The activists pull those down.  Still the worshipers sing.  At the end of the video, a man is pulling up a large limb which served as a wall support.  Through it all, our far away friends never stop worshiping Jesus.  They love Jesus and His church with a love that is inspiring, and perhaps somewhat convicting.  They gather to worship as if fellowship together is as necessary to them as breathing.  We gather for fellowship if we’ve nothing more important on our schedule.

Two thousand years ago, Jesus made His declaration — “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).  We should note here first that it is His church.  It belongs to Him, the One who purchased it with His own blood.  He is the head of the church, and it is left to us to listen well and obey.  He is building His church.  To be sure, he uses us in the work, but apart from Him we can do nothing.  The fact that it is His church, and that He is the One who is building it, works to remind us that it has an enduring beauty that is derived from Him.  The church is beautiful because He is beautiful.  He loves His church.  We ought to love it too.  In fact, an apathetic disregard for the church is a sure sign that something is amiss in one’s Christian life.

“And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t try.  Since its beginning, the church has faced opposition.  It has faced countless obstacles and challenges.  And so, it does in our day.  But empires have been built and have fallen.  World leaders have come and gone.  Religious fads and causes arise and then wither away.  But the church founded 2000 years ago is still around.  And no matter how anemic or unimportant or irrelevant it might seem to be in the eyes of the world, the body of Christ still stands as the most important entity on this planet.  You, believer in Christ, are a part of it.  You are a part of the church that Jesus loves.  You are a part of the universal, eternal, triumphant work that He is even now doing.  What an incredible privilege it is to be a part of His called out assembly! 

THE CHURCH’S ONE FOUNDATION

The church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is his new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven he came and sought her
To be his holy bride;
With his own blood he bought her,
And for her life he died.

Elect from every nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation,
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.

Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
Till, with the vision glorious,
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great church victorious
Shall be the church at rest.

Yet she on earth hath union
With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won.
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with thee.

Happy Man

Bible Reading: Titus 3:3-7

I love basketball.  For 25 years I woke up at 5 AM, three times a week, to play pickup basketball at the local community college gym.  I also love watching the sport and have been a fan for as far back as I can remember.  I can vaguely remember watching Pete Maravich play when I was a kid.  Years ago, I saw a movie and a documentary about his life and was fascinated by his story.  I suppose that is why I was eager to read his biography (“Pistol: A Biography of Pete Maravich”; Mark Kriegel; Simon and Schuster).  But his story far transcends his basketball fame.

In 1929 a missionary gave Pete Maravich’s father, Press, a basketball.  Basketball would henceforth consume his life and control his destiny.  Press worked hard to become a talented basketball player.  He was forever obsessed with the sport and coached for many years even after he quit playing. When his son Pete was born, he was born destined, according to his father’s dream, to play the game his father loved and lived for. 

And from the beginning, Pete was his pupil.  Press invented a variety of drills to perfect Pete’s skills.  From a young age, Pete went everywhere with his ball and would practice his drills for hours on end.  He would play late into the night and even in the rain.  Though a skinny and unimposing kid in Jr. High, he was nonetheless a phenomenal player and could do things that astonished both his teammates and opponents. 

There was much pressure on Pete to fulfill his father’s dream that he would be the best basketball player ever to play.  Everything in the household’s life revolved around basketball.  Plays were diagrammed on the dinner table using salt and pepper shakers.  But the household was not a very happy place.  Basketball was an obsession, and it required more than some were able to give.  Press’s wife became an alcoholic.  She would eventually, in her despondency, commit suicide.  “Even as Pete Maravich became Pistol Pete—a basketball icon for baby boomers—all the Maraviches paid a price.”

No one had ever before played the game of basketball quite like Pete.  He could do amazing things with a ball.  Upon graduation from high school, he played for LSU, where he became the most prolific scorer in college basketball history (he averaged 44.2 points per game).  His Dad was the coach, and he refined the team’s offense to highlight Pete’s basketball skills.  The team itself was not that great, but no matter where they played, spectators filled the arena.  He made unbelievable passes and shots that drew oohs and aahs even from his opponents.  He established himself as a basketball phenomenon and professional basketball teams took notice.

He was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks.  His rookie season was filled with heartaches.  He had won the largest contract thus far in professional basketball.  His envious teammates treated him accordingly.  The team was not very good, but Pete’s name and play were enough to draw a crowd.  The spectators loved to watch him play, and even worshipped him, but he himself grew increasingly disillusioned with basketball and life.  He drank heavily.  He was haunted by the failure to live up to his own expectations.  He sought answers.  He involved himself in martial arts for a time.  He interested himself in all kinds of “isms” (i.e., vegetarianism; Hinduism; extraterrestrialism; survivalism).  He believed in UFOs and wrote in big letters, “Take Me,” on the roof of his house.  He had it all—fame, fortune, and the opportunity to have fun playing the game he was born to play—but he was lost and miserable. 

He managed in his professional career to set many records and establish himself to be one of the 50 best players of all time.  He was an NBA All Star.  He was traded to the New Orleans Jazz and in playing for them always drew a crowd—despite the team’s terrible play.  But none of that mattered to Pete. He was miserable.  He developed a reputation for being difficult.  He was traded again.  And then injuries ultimately brought an end to his career.  And in that too, he was distraught.  He often contemplated suicide, driving his car at ridiculously high speeds, and sometimes thought of veering off the road.

Were that the end of the story, it would be a sad story indeed.  But amid his post-career despair, God came to his rescue.  One night he couldn’t sleep.  Burdened by his many past sins, he prayed, asking God for help.  He hadn’t been a praying man, but his desperate estate brought him to it.  God heard his plea and made Himself known to Pete.  Jesus saved him and transformed him. He had loved basketball, but his love for basketball was replaced by a passion for Jesus and making Him known.  Whenever he had the chance, he gave out gospel tracts. He proclaimed the gospel at Billy Graham crusades and in other venues.  He was privileged to witness the salvation of both his wife and his father.  He was a great father to his two sons.  Then his father passed away.  He had said, as his father was dying, “I’ll see you soon.”  His wife, Jackie, heard what he said—those words stuck in her mind.  

He was to speak on the Focus on the Family radio program.  And beforehand he was invited to play in a pickup basketball game with James Dobson and some others.  It had hardly begun when Pete collapsed on the court and died (nine months after his father had died).  The autopsy uncovered a startling truth—he was born with a heart defect that would have killed most people by age 20.  But he had lived, and played basketball, ‘til he died at age 40 (when God had finished His work in his life).  His father’s dream had been for him to be the greatest basketball player ever, but His Heavenly Father had a better plan.  Most know of Pete Maravich as a famous basketball player, but it was in Jesus that Pete Maravich found true purpose and meaning in life.  He seemingly had it all, but he wasn’t a happy man until he had Jesus (1 Peter 1:18; John 10:10).

I WILL SING OF MY REDEEMER

I will sing of my Redeemer
and his wondrous love to me;
on the cruel cross he suffered,
from the curse to set me free.

Chorus: Sing, O sing of my Redeemer!
With his blood he purchased me;
on the cross he sealed my pardon,
paid the debt, and made me free.

I will tell the wondrous story,
how my lost estate to save,
in his boundless love and mercy,
he the ransom freely gave. [Chorus]

I will praise my dear Redeemer,
his triumphant power I’ll tell:
how the victory he gives me
over sin and death and hell. [Chorus]

I will sing of my Redeemer
and his heavenly love for me;
he from death to life has brought me,
Son of God, with him to be. [Chorus]

Undeterred

Bible Reading: Romans 10:14-17

Romans 10:15b, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news.”

Gladys Aylward grew up in London in the early 1900s.  As a young believer, she felt led to attend Bible School to prepare to be a missionary to China with China Inland Mission.  But she failed Bible classes and was dismissed from Bible School.

So, Gladys found a job as a housemaid and took on a ministry to young women at the local Rescue Mission and did not give up on her missionary plans. She began to save money to pay her own way to China and made contact with a Mrs. Lawson in China—she planned to go to help her in her ministry.

Unable to afford sea passage, she spent her life savings and booked a ticket on a mail train that would take her across Europe and through Siberia.  Seven days after leaving Liverpool, the train crossed the Ural Mountains.  It began to get quite cold on the train.  As the train approached Siberia, it filled up with soldiers.  And then as it proceeded, she heard gunfire.  The train came to a stop.  She was forced off the train.

Gladys walked for miles through the snow backwards in the direction she had come.  She made her way to the train station.  Tired, frozen cold, and hungry, she was put in a cell.  She was interrogated.  She tried to explain that she was a missionary on her way to China.  The official misunderstood.  He thought she said machinist.  She was put on a train to Vladivostok.  There she found a hotel.  But a government official followed her.  He heard she was a machinist.  He explained Russia had need for such workers.  He planned to ship her off to a factory.

A girl came to her rescue.  She escorted her to a Japanese ship.  Gladys booked passage on the ship and finally arrived at her destination.  But Mrs. Lawson wasn’t there.  She had moved hundreds of miles away.  The trip to her new location—by train, bus, and mule train—would take 15-20 days.  Gladys survived another arduous and tiring journey.  Then she finally arrived at her destination.

Mrs. Lawson showed her around the house.  That location would later become known as “The Inn of the Sixth Happiness.”  After choosing a room and putting her bags away, Gladys stretched her legs.  She walked down the street and came upon some women carry water jars.  Without saying a thing, the women put down their jars and began throwing dirt clods at her.

But Gladys settled in with Mrs. Lawson and the two provided hospitality for travelers in their Inn.  She would often share about Jesus with those who had never heard the gospel before.  For a time, she served as an assistant to the Government of the Republic of China as a “foot inspector” by touring the countryside to enforce the new law against foot-binding young Chinese girls.  Aylward became a national of the Republic of China in 1936 and was a revered figure among the people, taking in orphans and adopting several herself, intervening in a volatile prison riot and advocating prison reform, risking her life many times to help those in need.  In 1938, the region was invaded by Japanese forces and Aylward led over 100 orphans to safety over the mountains, despite being wounded, personally caring for them (she was used by God to lead many to know Jesus).  She settled in Taiwan in 1958, where she founded the Gladys Aylward Orphanage in which she worked until her death in 1970.

Gladys left the comforts of home and traveled far and at great cost in her missionary endeavor.  She suffered much along the way and was met with a rude reception when she arrived.  Her story reminds us of the greatest missionary journey ever undertaken, when the One who was rich left His Father’s throne and became poor, that He might save lost sinners.  Such is the spirit of missionary endeavor.  It always involves sacrifice.  We don’t need to travel halfway around the world to share the good news, but we’ve got to take some initiative and be willing to suffer some discomfort and likely even bear some abuse.  Jesus traveled far and suffered much to save you.  He gave His life for thee, what hast thou done for Him?

I GAVE MY LIFE FOR THEE

I gave My life for thee,
My precious blood I shed,
That thou mightst ransomed be,
And quickened from the dead;
I gave, I gave My life for thee,
What hast thou done for Me?
I gave, I gave My life for thee,
What hast thou done for Me?

My Father’s house of light,
My glory-circled throne
I left for earthly night,
For wanderings sad and lone;
I left, I left it all for thee,
Hast thou left aught for Me?
I left, I left it all for thee,
Hast thou left aught for Me?

I suffered much for thee,
More than thy tongue can tell,
Of bitterest agony,
To rescue thee from hell;
I’ve borne, I’ve borne it all for thee,
What hast thou borne for Me?
I’ve borne, I’ve borne it all for thee,
What hast thou borne for Me?

And I have brought to thee,
Down from My home above,
Salvation full and free,
My pardon and My love;
I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee,
What hast thou brought to Me?
I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee,
What hast thou brought to Me?

To God be the Glory

Bible Reading: Ephesians 3:20-21

Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

God has worked to save sinners for the purpose of manifesting His glory. Ephesians 1:3-14 speaks to this purpose as it describes for us the gracious working of each person of the Trinity.  God the Father has chosen us before the foundation of the world; In love, He predestined us to adoption.  He has done all this “to the praise of his glorious grace” (Ephesians 1:6).  God the Son has redeemed us; forgiven us; lavished His grace upon us; revealed His will to us; and enriched us with an inheritance.  He has done all this “to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:12).  God the Spirit has been given to us as a pledge of this inheritance.  We’ve been sealed by the Spirit.  And again, this has been done “to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:16).

Chapter 2 likewise speaks to the gracious nature of the salvation which we have received.  Look to Ephesians 2:7 where it says, “so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.”  Some, in commenting on this passage have noted how we, as believers, stand as “trophies” of God’s grace for all to see.  And I think that’s an appropriate analogy.

My Dad has bowled most of his life.  In his mid-80s, he was still averaging near 175.  He was always a good bowler and has some trophies to prove that, including the bowling pin that refused to fall on the 12^th frame of a 299 game.  What is the message we are given to understand as we look at those trophies?  They say that my dad is a great bowler!  Those trophies are actually pretty small.  Probably about 18 inches or so.  According to the Guinness book of world records the largest trophy in the world is about 41 feet tall!  That’s far taller than most houses.  That trophy was given to a cricket team in India.  I wonder how they transport that thing?  Or where do they keep it?

Now, when it comes to salvation, some—in misunderstanding the true nature of salvation—only want to give God a little trophy. Misunderstanding the Sola Gratia nature of salvation, they want to keep some of the credit for themselves, however small. But salvation is by grace through faith in Christ and His finished work on the cross. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes this clear. In fact, it goes on to say that God has set the parameters of salvation such that “no man may boast.”

Ephesians 3:21 is a fitting conclusion to three chapters that have trumpeted the working of the grace of God in the salvation of a sinner.  God chose us before the world was.  We were orphans in sin, but God adopted us.  We were guilty in sin, but God has forgiven us.  We were darkened in our understanding, but God has enlightened us!  We were spiritual paupers, but God has enriched us!  We were dead in our trespasses and sins, but God made us alive together with Christ and raised us up with Him and seated us in the heavenly places!  We were children of wrath, but now we are the children of God!  We were without God and without hope, now we have both!  We were far off, but Christ has brought us near!  We were strangers and aliens, but now are a part of a holy temple in the Lord!  We are recipients of the unsearchable riches of Christ and are loved with an everlasting love, the breadth and length and height and depth of which surpasses knowledge!  All this entirely by His grace and therefore to His glory!

Fanny Crosby was one of the church’s greatest hymn writers.  Over the course of her 90+ years, she composed over 8000 texts, many of which were set to music.  Hymns like: “Praise Him! Praise Him!,” “Tell Me the Story of Jesus,” “I Am Thine, O Lord,” “Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross,” “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine.”  Amazingly, she wrote all those texts though she was rendered totally blind at six years of age!  She praised the Creator and Light of the World for more than 80 years without ever actually seeing the work of His hands.  She understood it was God who was deserving of all the glory for the great things He has done and wrote the hymn “To God be the Glory!”

TO GOD BE THE GLORY

To God be the glory, great things he has done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
and opened the life-gate that all may go in.

Refrain:
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father through Jesus the Son
and give him the glory, great things he has done!

Great things he has taught us, great things he has done,
and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son,
but purer and higher and greater will be
our joy and our wonder, when Jesus we see. [Refrain]

The Power Within

Bible Reading: Ephesians 3:20-21

Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

The life and ministry of the believer in Christ lies in the realm of the miraculous.  It is impossible for us to do that which God calls upon us to do in the power of the flesh.  It is foolhardy enterprise to suppose that we can do anything of spiritual value through human wisdom or self-effort.  But by the Spirit, people are miraculously born again and made to be new creatures in Christ.  By the Spirit, these new creatures in Christ are miraculously transformed from glory to glory into Christlikeness.  And by the working of His miraculous power, their lowly bodies will one day be transformed to be like his glorious body. These are miracles.  And God is doing such things every day.   By His grace. By the Spirit.  To His honor and glory! 

Our text speaks of a power that works within us. God is able to do far more abundantly through the working of this power. It is not a power that rises from within ourselves, it is the Spirit of God working in us and through us, even as Jesus explained: “It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh profits nothing” (John 6:63).

Every believer in Christ is indwelt by the Divine person of the Holy Spirit.  It is a work of the Spirit to transform the believer into Christ’s image “from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18).  All that we are given to do, as believers, is to be done—and can only be done by the Spirit: We are convicted of sin by the Spirit (John 16:8); We are born again by the Spirit (John 3:6-7); We are baptized into the body by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13); We understand and comprehend truth by the Spirit, who is, by the way, the Spirit of Truth (1 Corinthians 2:12); We put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit (Romans 8:13); We are transformed from one state of glory to the next by the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18, 2 Thessalonians 2:13); The spiritual fruit of Christlike virtue, the fruit of the Spirit, is born in us by the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23); By the Spirit, we are given assurance of our identity as the children of God (Romans 8:16); We are gifted with spiritual gifts by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7); We don’t know how to pray as we should, so the Spirit “helps our weakness,” and intercedes for us (Romans 8:26); This list goes on, but the point is this: all we’ve been given to do is to be done “by the Spirit.”  We should never expect to see a work that is far more abundant beyond all that we ask or think if we endeavor to do the things we do in our own wisdom and strength. That’s why it’s essential that we be filled with and be walking by the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:16).

It is an amazing thing to consider when you stop to think about it.  The Divine Holy Spirit, the third member of the trinity, is indwelling you.  Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.  With His indwelling, all the resources of the Godhead are literally at your disposal when it comes to the fulfillment of God’s purpose in you. 

Hudson Taylor put the matter this way: “How often do we attempt work for God to the limit of our incompetency rather than to the limit of God’s omnipotency… Many Christians estimate difficulty in the light of their own resources, and thus they attempt very little, and they always fail. All giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His power and presence to be with them.”

God is able to do far greater than we think possible, but that work is a work that He does in and through us, as we are led, empowered, and transformed by the Spirit (Zechariah 4:6).

TRUSTING JESUS

Simply trusting every day,
Trusting through a stormy way;
Even when my faith is small,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Refrain: Trusting as the moments fly,
Trusting as the days go by;
Trusting Him whate’er befall,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Brightly doth His Spirit shine
Into this poor heart of mine;
While He leads I cannot fall;
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Singing if my way is clear,
Praying if the path be drear;
If in danger for Him call;
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Trusting Him while life shall last,
Trusting Him till earth be past;
Till within the jasper wall,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

He is Able

Bible Reading: Ephesians 3:20-21

Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Say a prayer. Think a thought. God is able to do more.  Far more.  Far more abundantly more. He has worked that way in the past.  He works that way in the present.  And He will continue to do so. These two verses of praise speak to the truth that God is always exceeding our imagination and expectations in the way He works!

Arthur T. Pierson once said that there is a sevenfold measure of the power of God is Paul’s benediction:

First, God’s able to do first what we ask.
Second, He is able to do all that we ask.
Third, He is able to do what we think.
Fourth, He is able to do all that we think.
Fifth, He is able to do above all that we ask or think.
Sixth, He is able to do abundantly above all that we ask or think.
And seventh, He is able to do exceeding, abundant above all that we could ask or think.

Kenneth Wuest has explained the meaning of this great phrase (far more abundantly) this way: “it is a superlative of superlatives in force. It speaks of the ability of God to do something, that ability having more than enough potential power, this power exhaustless, and then some on top of that. Thus, Paul says that God is able to do super-abundantly above and beyond what we ask or think, and then some on top of that.”

These two verses serve as a fitting conclusion to all that precedes in this epistle.  The main point of verses 20-21—that God is able to do far more abundantly—is interwoven through all that we read in the first three chapters of this epistle.  Salvation is by grace.  Inasmuch as it is by grace, and according to the working of God, all the glory goes to Him.

We should note how the life and ministry of the God-inspired-writer of this epistle embodies and testifies to the truth that is spoken of here.  The Apostle Paul had formerly been a persecutor, blasphemer, and violent aggressor–hell bent on destroying the church.  He was engaged in that evil work when Jesus met him on the road to Damascus.  Neither he nor his companions could have imagined what God had already purposed to do in his life.  But Jesus saved him!  Recall how hard it was for Ananias and the church in Damascus to accept the reality of the truth that God had indeed saved such a man as Paul.  Not only did God save Paul, but He also called him to be the Apostle to the Gentiles.  He was sent out on three missionary journeys and he traveled thousands of miles, witnessing to countless numbers of people and planting dozens of churches.  Undeterred by constant threats and severe trials, he finished his course and kept the faith.  God revealed His truth to Paul, and Paul wrote all those epistles—words that have worked to instruct and encourage millions of souls, including you.  That murderous hater of the church was transformed to be the best friend and missionary the church has had, save the Lord Himself.  That work of God in his life was according to the far-more-abundantly ability of God to save and transform!

God’s work in your life is according to this dynamic. God has purposed to fill you up to the “fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:19). What does that entail? Have you heard that song “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe? We can only imagine what it will be like in glory! God is at work to radically transform you from who you were—a child of wrath, dead in your trespasses and sins—to who He is making you to be; conformed to the very image of His Son. There will come a day when Jesus will “transform (your) lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Philippians 3:21). It is a far-more-abundantly work that He is well able to do! That’s the way that God works, always exceeding our expectations and in a way beyond what we could even imagine! It is as The Message puts it: “far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams” (Ephesians 3:20)! Think a thought. Say a prayer. God is able to do more. Far more abundantly more!

ALL THAT THRILLS MY SOUL

All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
Ev’ry day and ev’ry hour;
Jesus and His free salvation,
Jesus and His mighty pow’r.

Refrain: All that thrills my soul is Jesus;
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten-thousand,
In my blessed Lord I see.

His is love beyond all knowledge,
His is grace beyond degree,
Mercy higher than the heaven,
Deeper than the deepest sea. [Refrain]

Ev’ry need His hand supplieth,
Ev’ry good in Him I see;
And the strength He gives His weak ones
Is sufficient unto me. [Refrain]

What a wonderful redemption!
Never can a mortal know,
How my sin, tho’ red like crimson,
Can be whiter than the snow. [Refrain]

In yon everlasting city
With the ransomed I will sing,
And forever and forever,
Praise and glorify the King. [Refrain]

The Way Home

Bible Reading: John 14:1-6

John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.’”

A GPS is an amazing device—by satellite, it determines your position, within a few feet, anywhere on the planet.  Give it a destination and it will give you audible instructions as to when to turn.  No longer any need for maps or to stop and embarrassingly ask for directions—unless, of course, your GPS fails.  But a GPS has its limitations.  It will do you no good to type in “heaven” as your destination—it doesn’t know the way.  The best earthbound navigational means are of no value or help in making the trip from heaven to earth.  But God has provided, in His Son Jesus Christ, all that is necessary.

The disciples were distressed when Jesus told them of His pending departure.  But He told them, “And you know the way where I am going (John 14:4).”  Thomas was quick to respond, “Lord we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way (John 14:5)?”  Jesus’ response?  “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me (John 14:6).”  Nobody can journey to heaven from earth apart from Jesus—He is the Way.  To know Jesus is to know the way.  Apart from Him, the journey is not just difficult, it is impossible.  The great obstacle, sin, must be dealt with.  He has done so on the cross.  Jesus saves to the uttermost those who trust in Him.  He frees sinners from the penalty and power of sin and assures them of a home in heaven. 

The Apostle Paul’s journey through life in ministry was met with many challenges and much opposition.  He wrote to Timothy, in his last letter, “At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me” (2 Timothy 4:16).  As believers, we must sometimes travel alone on a wearisome and difficult path, but we are never truly alone.  “But the Lord stood with me,” Paul said.  In Jesus, we have a traveling companion who will never desert us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).  He is with us always (Matthew 28:20).  His guidance is not subject to technological glitches or operator error.  He stands ready to guide us in all our decisions (James 1:5).  He is preeminently qualified to direct us in all matters (Hebrews 4:15-16).  Paul was fully confident of Christ’s ability to lead him on his journey— “The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:18).

These are difficult times in which we live.  The broad way that leads to destruction is well traveled.  Doomed travelers are ushered speedily along a perilous route to a disastrous end.  The narrow way is impossible to navigate apart from Christ and His Word.  But His “word is a lamp to (our) feet, and a light to (our) path” (Psalm 119:105).  God’s Word is far better than any GPS because it is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12) communication from God to us in all matters pertaining to faith and practice.  Through His Word, the God of the universe speaks to us in personal and practical ways—teaching, reproving, correcting, and training us in the way we should go (2 Timothy 3:16).  The Apostle Peter spoke to our great need to pay attention to the Word: “And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19; 2 Timothy 3:14-15).  One day, when we are with Jesus, our arduous journey on the narrow way will be complete.  In the meantime, we need to be careful to “pay attention” to our heavenly navigator and His instructions—He knows the way, He is the way, and He alone can bring us safely home.

Every Gideon Bible includes this wonderful testimony regarding the Scripture’s ability to guide us: “The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.  It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter. Here Paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.  CHRIST is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of God its end.  It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.”

NO, NOT ONE!

There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus–
No, not one! no, not one!
None else could heal all our soul’s diseases–
No, not one! no, not one!

Refrain: Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide till the day is done;
There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus–
No, not one! no, not one!

No friend like Him is so high and holy–
No, not one! no, not one!
And yet no friend is so meek and lowly–
No, not one! no, not one! [Refrain]

There’s not an hour that He is not near us –
No, not one! no, not one!
No night so dark but His love can cheer us–
No, not one! no, not one! [Refrain]

Was e’er a gift like the Savior given?
No, not one! no, not one!
Will He refuse us a home in heaven?
No, not one! no, not one! [Refrain]