One of the books which I picked up in Grandad’s study was a collection of articles from the sermons of Charles Spurgeon. The book was entitled – “Joy in Your Life.” I thought to myself – “Now here is something which we all need.” I don’t know how much joy it gave me, but there were some blessings in it. And by the way, this morning’s message did not originate from anything from that book.
The eleventh chapter in the Spurgeon book was entitled “Responsibility and Success.” The gist of the message was that our service for God should produce joy whether or not there is any calculable success in it. For example, you have been giving $25 a week to missions for years, but the missionaries support by your church have never reported more than a handful of converts. Is your joy dependent on dozens of new souls in Heaven? You have practiced all week and built up the courage to sing a beautiful hymn on Sunday morning. Is your joy dependent on a chorus of loud “amens,” in lieu of a standing ovation? You have been faithfully witnessing to your neighbor of salvation in Christ, but she has continued to argue against every scripture which you’ve given her. Even though you are sad thinking about her eternal condition, especially in light of her terminal cancer, are you thinking about holding your tongue because your testimony produces no results?
No matter who you are, and what your current responsibilities might be, each of us – all of us – who are Christians, are servants of our Saviour. What might apply to me, as pastor, applies to you as well – as a man of prayer or a financial supporter of Christ’s church. I might scatter the seed of the Word of God over a wider field than you do. But if your single seed is planted in good soil, and it is watered well – protected by you from weeds and diseases, it could grow into a stalk of corn with two heads and hundreds of kernels. In the mean time, my scattering could all fall on dry and rainless ground, producing nothing. You might think that Spurgeon was preaching to me, when I know he was thinking about ALL of us.
We are responsible for our service, but not for our success of our service. I know that this might sound like an excuse for my lack of productivity, but I assure you it is not. It is one of the facts which makes service for God different from our service for the boss at work. We are responsible for our testimony and witness, but only God can empower our witness and use it to change other people’s hearts. If we carefully share God’s Word, even if there is never a soul saved, the Lord will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant” – and there ought to be joy in hearing and even in anticipating those divine words.
Two weeks ago, I met once again, Judy’s eldest cousin. He blatantly and openly rejects Christ, refusing to listen to God’s gospel of grace and love. When we last saw him, he laughingly told us, “Excuse me, I have to say good-bye to Kathy, because if I don’t she’ll pray for me for another five years.” Here is a man, whose family for the most part claim to be Christians, but he stubbornly rejects Christ. Not one of those family members is responsible for his unbelief; but we are all responsible for the consistency of our testimony and the accuracy of our witness. If you are the Christian God intends you to be – humble, repentant, loving, faithful – then the words of verse 15 properly apply to you. “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish.” And in knowing that there ought to be joy in our hearts.
Let’s consider some of the Biblical descriptions of our service.
And as we do, notice that despite the importance of the service, its ultimate effects are not ours – but God’s. We begin three chapters beyond our text, where Paul refers to one of his God-given positions. I won’t try to tell you that he is speaking about you and me – he is speaking of himself. But I see no reason why we can’t apply what he says to any other servant of God. In II Corinthians 5:20 Paul says, “Now then we are AMBASSADORS for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” Have you ever pleaded with your children to be reconciled to God? Have you ever spoken to a wayward cousin, or a neighbor, or a coworker about his need of salvation? Have you ever taught a Sunday School class, or shared a devotional with a group of ladies? Then you, too, have acted as an ambassador for Christ.
I know that this will detract from my upcoming point, but I find it interesting. The Greek “presbeuo” (pres-byoo’-o) literally refers to someone who is older and thus more experienced. It makes the word all the more applicable to you parents, you witnesses for Christ, you teachers. The word speaks of someone who possesses something important which he wants to share with others.
But lets stick with the translation and our understanding of the word “ambassador.” For what is an ambassador responsible? He goes to another country as a fully authorized representative of his own country. He may take up residence in that foreign country, and whenever he is seen in public, it is as though he wears the flag of his own nation before people’s eyes. If the host country is threatening war, the ambassador may be given authority to negotiate a peace. He may have years of training, or it may be that he is a naturally talented negotiator. And as he speaks to the leaders of that country, he uses all the skills he possess to try to calm a tense situation. But there is no peace; war is declared against the ambassador’s country, and he is recalled. When he stands before his king, he may be asked, “Why didn’t you find some means of peace?” He replies, “I gave that foreign king every argument and every inducement you authorized me to share. His mind was already made up, and there was nothing I could do.” Under the circumstances, the ambassador’s king must say, “Well done. You have done your duty. I cannot condemn you if the war continues.”
Each one of us are ambassadors for Christ at some level which He has assigned to us. We have no responsibility over the effects of our service. The heart of that other human king is in the hand of Jehovah, and only He can turn it withersoever He will. So the joy of our service should be found in the service itself, not in the results it produces. There should be a thrill and a joy in simply representing our Lord. But woe to the ambassador who is not a good representative of his Heavenly King. I get embarrassed to see cars with Christian bumper sticker or the names of various churches, when they are driven in unchristian ways. I get embarrassed to hear professing Christians use vulgar or blasphemous language. Any Christian should be ashamed of other professing Christians when the world sees them sin, breaking the laws of their own Heavenly nation.
Another metaphor for the servant of God is that of the FISHERMAN.
“Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” It might not be true for the man whose family depends on his ability to catch fish, but for me, fishing is a pleasurable way to spend time. It might be in the back of a slowly moving boat with a couple of friendly brethren. Or it might be walking up the edge of a stream with a fly rod in my hand. I have enjoyed days sitting at the edge of a lake, with my family, watching the end of my fishing pole. There are dozens of ways to fish. For most of us around here, the term “angling” might be an appropriate synonym, because we use a small piece of angled wire to snare the lip of the fish. Some use flies. Some people use lights. In some cultures people use birds to catch fish. I have seen natives with large nets on the end of poles, trying to catch running salmon. Then there are commercial nets. I’ve talked to people who have used explosives to stun and kill fish. There are dozens of ways to fish. But like the disciples on occasion most fishermen have spent days or nights catching nothing at all. Despite all our skills and equipment, all the fisherman can do is try. I have fished shallow streams where I could see 12 and 14 inch trout, but they refused to be caught.
I don’t believe that our Master will ever be upset with us if we are fishing according to His rules even though we come away with empty nets. It may be during a period of storms, but we’ve caught nothing. It might be early in the day or late in the day; it might be in the heat of the day or the cool of the evening. If we are using the right bait, and praying for the Creator’s blessings, even if we catch nothing the Lord will be satisfied and be pleased with His fishermen. And isn’t there joy in the fishing itself? Sure at the end of the day, we might be – we ought to be – disappointed in our lack of “success,” but in the mean time there is the pleasure of fishing.
Some time after the resurrection of Christ, “Simon Peter saith (to his fellow disciples), I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.” Brethren the blessing of catching fish is to be found in the will of owner of those fish. But there is still joy in the process of fishing.
Another picture of our service is the FARMER – especially the farmer of the first century.
“Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
I spent an hour this week talking to our member who lives in eastern Montana – Brother Chris Martinson. I was reminded once again that farming is an exercise in faith and hope. It is much more than that, but all the farmer’s efforts come down to waiting upon the Lord. That is especially true for the man who chooses to farm organically. He may plan, study the markets, count his costs, and evaluate his equipment. But after he makes his choice on crop and field, putting his seed in the ground, and if possible applying some organic fertilizer everything depends on the Lord. It may be a bad grasshopper year or as it is in Colorado a bad rabbit year. Some chemical may blow in from a neighbor’s field. A late frost may damage the seedlings or an early frost may destroy the harvest. And during the spring and summer there could be drought or devastating hail or tornados.
Brother Martinson is like the man in Jesus’ parable whose seed fell by the way side or on stony ground. Chris didn’t go out to buy the property which he now farms; it was it father’s and his grandfather’s before him. It appears that if his acreage was located 200 miles from where it is, it would be much more productive. While the rains are falling elsewhere, they are not being sent to his location. It is certainly not his fault. But once again, it doesn’t look like there will be much joy at harvest time.
But as Spurgeon said in his article, one sheaf of grain taken from stony ground is more honor to God than a thousand sheaves from good soil. The Lord may place us in desert country or some rocky way side, telling us, “Here is where I want you to sow my seed.” If we are faithful in sowing, trusting the Lord for the harvest He chooses, then we have done our part. The blessing of reaping is the gift of God; we can control only what we can control.
I believe that there will be different degrees of reward in Glory. They will not come in proportion to our apparent success in this world, but rather in proportion to the quality of our service. Have we obeyed the Lord in order to be applauded by our neighbors, or has it been to please the Lord. You know, there may be applause in Heaven, but none of it will be for any of us – it will all be for Christ. So our service today and tomorrow, should be in the Name of the Lord and for the Lord. And when that is done properly, then our joy will be in Him and our joy will be genuine. “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord…. saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.” “Eternally joyful shall be the dead which die in the Lord with the memory of their faithful service following them.”