Service vs. Devotion to Jesus

Oswald Chambers, in his My Utmost for His Highest, fairly forces me to think and to write. I wish all devotionals were like this.  What most devotionals do is try to clarify a passage, as a preacher does; others proffer an illustration for a text;  still others simply aim to be poetic and clever in the use of words; some merely spoon-feed doctrine to the reader.

But what SHOULD a devotional do?  Chambers seems to be in another category, of devotionals that aim to provide application, tersely, and in a way that is beautiful --- as surgery is beautiful, or a bonsai, or the sincere smile of a child.

 For example, he writes for January 18,

"Give Me to drink."  How many of us are set upon Jesus Christ slaking our thirst when we ought to be satisfying Him?  We should be pouring out now, spending to the last limit, not drawing on Him to satisfy us.

I myself was taken aback by this.  What?  Jesus needs something?  How can the Lord want for any satisfaction I might offer?  And, are you suggestion He isn't perfectly satisfied with moi, "just as I am"?  The Lord doesn't need us to be satisfied. But as those who have already received His very blood of atonement, Holy Spirit, covenant promises, eternal life and who will be co-heirs with Him of the whole creation, we should ask, "Why am I still unsatisfied and thirsty and just coming to Him for more?"

Then Chambers does an odd thing.  After suggesting that we should be "spending to the last limit" to serve the Lord with "unsullied, uncompromising, and unbridled devotion", he reverses the argument.

The greatest competitor to devotion to Jesus is service for Him. It is easier to serve than to be drunk to the dregs. The one aim of the call of God is the satisfaction of God, not a call to do something for Him.

Without a long explanation, he is jumping right to his conclusion, leaving the reasoning out of this to be done by the reader.   Jesus did the same thing with his parables and sayings, rather than giving bulletproof logic and flow-charts and such, leaving to the listener to ponder and seek and find the Truth.

What Chambers says is that, no, God doesn't need my service, though I should be giving it unsullied. He doesn't need to receive it; the need is mine; I need to render it.  This is both satisfying to God and fulfilling to me.  Why is it satisfying to God?  Because obedience and service to God, when it comes from love to God and the sense of debt we ought to feel, is pure and pleasing to Him and gives His living water to those around us, who also are drawn to Him.  Why does it fulfill me?  Because serving God is the very purpose of our being; He is the Meaning of Life.

And so his argument that "the greatest competitor to devotion to Jesus is service for Him" makes sense.  To a great many "miserable Christians" going to long, boring meetings and doing church stuff is all they know of Christianity.  They are like Martha, and have never stopped their work for the Lord to sit at His feet and marvel.

When I come away from a few moments with this devotional, I am not merely thinking, "That was nice", or "How interesting", but "I WILL DO SOMETHING".  That response, I say, is what a devotional reading should elicit.

What should I do, then?  I will "pour out now, spend to the last limit" now.  For many years I've been just waiting, waiting for more wisdom, more power, more courage, more of the Spirit, more of his grace, more knowledge; buying more books to read and dreaming about what kind of evangelist I will be ... one day when I've got enough.  It's time to ask the Lord to send out workers, instead of just sitting by as a thinker, planner and critic. It's time for me to say, "Here am I, send me," and to up and obey his command to "GO!"  Why?  Not because He needs me, but because I need to obey and render devotion (as opposed to mere service) to my Lord.  To break the priceless jar of ointment and pour it out on His feet, "Waste!" to those who know Him not, but precious to Him Who alone is worthy of it.

Lord, only go with me, as you have promised, and let me be poured out and wasted for you today, this week, here and now.  Let me "go in this thy strength" for you, content that your presence alone is all the strength, wisdom, courage and help I need, and confident that the obedience of faith is the only satisfaction and success you desire.  AMEN

A Gospel Dream for 2017

I don't dream a lot. But from time to time, I have one that is worthy of print. This morning was one of those times.

The dream began with me working in horticulture.  I had been working on an estate as a gardener all day.  It was the kind of plantation that has two swimming pools, one for kids in the back garden, and a smaller one for adults (or for show) on the side.  My dad was working there too, creating a beautiful vegetable garden of some unusual design involving raised beds and mechanical devices I didn't understand.

After leaving for the day, I walked up to the town square. At one point, I got onto a small bus which was going around the square.  As the bus went round, I listened to a radio preacher with a group of 3 or 4 young people.  They were really approving what the preacher was teaching, though I didn't.  He sounded like a cult leader, encouraging his followers to believe they were the only ones.  He kept saying, "We're the only ones."  A Tigger-cult, perhaps?  Clearly the kind of narcissistic self-absorption that characterizes a great swath of modern religion and philosophy.

Since I was annoyed by the preaching, I decided to hop off the bus as it was leaving the square. I knew it was possible to jump off the back of the bus as it started moving.  It was presently at a stop light waiting to make a left turn.  Before going, I told the group listening to the bad preaching, "Do you really believe YOU are the only ones God is going to save?   How can you believe that?" 

I knew (since it was a dream) that they really were being drawn into a cult, though I didn't know or care what cult it was.  Religious folks, including Catholics, who proclaim that salvation is only possible via their own church or group have, one and all, missed the essence of Christianity, that salvation is possible ONLY through Jesus Christ.   His Person is what counts, His Name, He alone can save.  And he doesn't need anyone or anything else.  He is the way, the truth and the life, not any group.

So the enthusiastic group on the bus were chanting, "We're the only ones!" with all the meaning that belongs to the cults, not with the meaning that is "in Christ alone".  Dreams tend to include inside understanding like this.

Well, I didn't really want to waste time arguing with cult-followers, and I did want to remain at the square. So I got up and walked away after asking my question, not waiting for their answer. I hopped off the back just as it pulled away and scurried over to the sidewalk.

Suddenly, the three young folks were with me again in the square, sitting and smiling at me as only cult people will.  They were urging me to be saved and join them.  Not to sound cynical, but I was aghast at their approach. Without even asking me a single question, like "What's your name?" they were telling me that I needed to be saved (join them), and they were strangely confident that they "had me in the bag".  They were in control and were going to, by sheer smiles, win me for their cause.

I didn't give in to my disgust, but said calmly, "I am a Christian.  I was saved when I believed as a child, baptized, and have served the Lord until now.  So I don't want to "be saved", whatever YOU mean by the expression.

With that, I began teaching them on holiness.  "God is holy.  And he calls us to be holy, saying, `Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.'  So when Christians in this generation go about talking as Christians and hanging out in Christian groups, but all the while living in immorality, especially sexual sins, you are false!  And I went on discoursing with this theme.  In a few minutes, I was standing and a small crowd had gathered, so that I had to raise my voice.  In a few more minutes, the small crowd had grown to a large crowd in a wide circle. I moved to an open spot against a wall, where another person was standing and trying to take over the audience (she was preaching and interjecting thoughts that went in different directions).  I did not want to lose the attention of the crowd, because the message of repentance and faith in Jesus was too important to let detractors in. So I kept preaching on holiness and faith in Jesus, raising my voice and cutting her off.

I realized God had given me a chance to preach, and did not want to let it slip away.  The momentum of the sermon, the attention of the crowd, the working of the Holy Spirit, and the beauty of the Word was very exciting to me.

"Your generation is living a complete lie, when you say you're a Christian, but go around dabbling in immorality, sleeping with various partners, experimenting in sex. Do you imagine God doesn't see you?  that He doesn't care about what you DO?  You are mocking God by claiming his Name and living immoral lives.  It's as if you were mocking God by ..."  At this point, I couldn't go on.  I didn't know how to mock God hypothetically for the illustration I was about to make.  I think the Spirit stopped my mouth from doing such a thing, because it would have set the crowd to laughing, which would not have been appropriate at such a serious point in my sermon.  Since the whole sermon was impromptu, I didn't have a well-prepared sermon, and suddenly it showed.  But I went on, "You are mocking God, and GOD IS NOT MOCKED!  You will reap what you sow, and your generation is sowing to the flesh.  You will damn yourselves to hell in false-Christianity if you do not repent and obey Jesus as LORD.  He is Lord, and He is not mocked!"

As the excitement of my soul and the pitch of my sermon rose higher and higher, and as the crowd was growing larger and larger, I awoke.

Reflecting on this, I began my morning devotion.  I read Ligonier's Tabletalk as my devotional, and was reminded that 2017 is the 500th anniversary of the Reformation (Martin Luther published his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517.)  We need a reformation in today's Christianity.  I don't know what it will take.  But Luther kicked one off merely by nailing a paper onto the door of a church.  Of course HE didn't do it, but "the Word did everything" (in his words).  It was the right message for the right time in the right place.

We Christians have the message.  In this sense, we are indeed "the only ones".  This is the exclusive message of Jesus: "No man cometh to the Father, buy by me."  [John 14:6]  And we dare not compromise on this.  But we don't know if this is the right place or time for some great new reformation; we don't know if God wills to work revival here and now.  Some may claim to know this, or believe it.  But I don't have any promise that it is to happen here and now through me.  Special revelation ended with the Apostles. So I don't claim that even this fantastic dream is a promise from God or a revelation of what is to come.  Dear reader, you should not take this as any kind of revealed truth either.  It is, however, an encouragement.

If we have only the message, then that alone is what we should assume and stand upon, not some goal of reformation, revival or future glory as founders of some great movement.  Certainly not as organizers of some new church or ministry.  The church of Christ is broad, as universal as His grace and His truth are universal. But the way of Christ is very narrow.  So his Church must not be narrowly focused on the young.  We must not think that "We Baptists are the only one", or "We Roman Catholics are the only ones", or even "We evangelicals are the only ones."  However, we must continue to proclaim that in the name of Jesus Christ alone is salvation,  

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. [Acts 4:12]

Jesus preached, and sent his disciples out to preach. He ordained that the spread of His kingdom should be done by the preaching of His gospel message.  In this new year, I affirm that this is God's will for me:  To preach the gospel. In the words of Paul,

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! [1 Cor 9:16]

He never promised we would be popular or famous or even effective. He just commanded it:

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. [Mk 16:15]

And he promised simply, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." [Mk 16:16]  So we have a mandate we must obey. The Spirit has been given, and we are empowered. 

Let us preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in 2017.  To one or to many, in the church and on the streets, prepared or extemporaneous, eloquently or not, let us preach the gospel.  We may falter, but the Spirit will help us, if we are genuinely led by the Spirit, and he will stop us from saying the wrong things.  Even if we are poor speakers and do it all wrong, God will use it.  Only let us not proclaim a novel message designed to appeal to this culture, but proclaim the same gospel that is revealed in the Bible and that is consistent with Christianity of the last 2000 years.  

I have thought much on what message I especially am being called to preach.  I believe it to be characterized by these themes:

1. God created all things. They did not evolve, but were designed by Him to bring God glory and to bring man to worship Jesus Christ.
2. God therefore owns all things, and will judge man, who was set as the responsible ruler of the earth.
3. Adam and Eve betrayed God in Eden.  For this, God's wrath is upon all mankind, unless and until they are reconciled to Him.
4. Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, suffered as a man to save us from our sin and reconcile us to God.  He is the propitiation which satisfies God's wrath for all who believe in Jesus.  Jesus saves us by his blood, which was shed on the cross for us.
5. For this reason, Jesus is the Judge of all mankind, and will judge each and every one of us for our sins.
6. He died to make us holy, and therefore holiness is the mark of genuine Christian faith. If you are not becoming more like Jesus, more obedient to God's word, more bearing more fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc.), if you do not think of Jesus as LORD and strive to please Him in your daily living, you are not born again.

Lord, please anoint me and many others who love You, in these last days to preach and proclaim your Beloved Son Jesus.  Lord we read so many books, attend many conferences, go to innumerable Christian meetings and concerts, attend classes in seminaries and schools, feverishly publish a book on any little theme we can work into 250 pages. But we do not preach much, though it was the one thing you wanted most and explicitly commanded us as your last words on earth.  Lord of the Harvest, send out workers into the harvest fields this year.  Father, raise up and send preachers into the streets and squares, highways and hedges, and empower them by Your Spirit.  Holy Spirit, make us holy, that our preaching may have Your power and authority.

Lord, here am I, send me too.  AMEN