Steps to Christ: THE WORK AND THE LIFE (Chapter 8)

WOW! Yet again, another amazing chapter.  Here we move from “we are saved bygrace through faith” to “faith without works is dead.” The focus ofthis chapter is simply that when Jesus is living in you, there isnothing that you will desire more than to serve others with anunselfish love!  This is so powerful!  Why?  Because I believe that ifyou were honest with yourself, you would agree that your greatestmoments of happiness and sense of fulfillment came at a moment when youwere serving someone else.  It may have been a mission trip or helpingsomeone who was in need in your own neighborhood.  When we actselflessly, we are living the life that Jesus not only modeled for us,but called us to live. 

Our Saviour’s joy was in the uplifting and redemption offallen men.  For this he counted not his life dear unto himself, butendured the cross, despising the shame.  So angels are ever engaged inworking for the happiness of others.  This is their joy.  That whichselfish hearts would regard as humiliating service, ministering tothose who are wretched, and in every way inferior in character andrank, is the work of the sinless angels.  The spirit of Christ’sself-sacrificing love is the spirit that pervades heaven, and is thevery essence of its bliss.  This is the spirit that Christ’s followerswill possess, the work that they will do.

As we put our faith, hope and trust into Jesus, He will live in us. All we need to do is simply allow Him to come in (Revelation 3:20).  AsHe does so, He will start living out His “self-sacrificing love” in andthrough our lives. 

The Saviour’s life on earth was not a life of ease anddevotion to himself, but he toiled with persistent, earnest, untiringeffort for the salvation of lost mankind.  From the manger to Calvaryhe followed the path of self-denial, and sought not to be released fromarduous tasks, painful travels, and exhausting care and labor.  Hesaid, “The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister,and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28).  This was theone great object of his life.  Everything else was secondary andsubservient.  It was his meat and drink to do the will of God and tofinish his work.  Self and self-interest had no part in his labor.

I can honestly attest that the greatest joy in my life is ministeringto others on behalf of Jesus!  On the contrary, I will tell you thatwhen I am not ministering to others or focused on serving other peoplebut focused on myself, I am often miserable, depressed, andunmotivated.  Can I get a witness? 

No sooner does one come to Christ, than there is born inhis heart a desire to make known to others what a precious friend hehas found in Jesus; the saving and sanctifying truth cannot be shut upin his heart.  If we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ, andare filled with the joy of his indwelling Spirit, we shall not be ableto hold our peace.  If we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good,we shall have something to tell.

Is this your experience?  It certainly is mine.  When I first metJesus, I couldn’t stop talking about Him.  And guess what?  I haven’tstopped.  Sometimes when I will study the Bible and something willreally leap of the page, I just have to tell someone about it.  Iremember on a couple of occasions going into a restaurant after a Biblestudy and telling the cashier everything that I had just studied.  Thisis what I would liken to the living water that is spoken of in John 4. The woman at the well went back into her town and said, “Come meet aMan!” When you’ve met Jesus, you can’t help but tell other people aboutHim. 

And the effort to bless others will re-act in blessingsupon ourselves.  This was the purpose of God in giving us a part to actin the plan of redemption.  He has granted men the privilege ofbecoming partakers of the divine nature, and, in their turn, ofdiffusing blessings to their fellowmen.  This is the highest honor, thegreatest joy, that it is possible for God to bestow upon men.  Thosewho thus become participants in labors of love are brought nearest totheir Creator.

Can you imagine for a moment that you are God?  Would you ever in amillion years choose someone like you to represent perfect Majesty,Dominion, Holiness, Glory, Love, Power, etc?  Maybe you are shackingyour head yes, but for me, if I were God, there is no way that I wouldever choose someone like myself to represent me.  We must remember thatGod’s ways are not our ways.  His thoughts are not our thoughts. Simply put, the way I/we roll is not the way that God rolls.  Hechooses people like you and me, broken, sinful, selfish people torepresent Him.  Why?  Because it reveals to the world what our God isreally like.  His divine character/nature sees in you a pearl ofinfinite value and invites you to partner with Him in the plan ofsalvation!  WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE! 

Here’s where Ellen flips the script,

Those who endeavor to maintain Christian life bypassively accepting the blessings that come through the means of grace,and doing nothing for Christ, are simply trying to live by eatingwithout working.  And in the spiritual as in the natural world, thisalways results in degeneration and decay.  A man who would refuse toexercise his limbs would soon lose all power to use them.  Thus theChristian who will not exercise his God-given powers, not only fails togrow up into Christ, but he loses the strength that he already had.

I reiterate again, that faith without works is dead (James 2:20).  Ifyou are finding yourself frustrated in Jesus, the church, yourchristian experience, before you give up on it all, try taking a stepof faith and serving someone else in the name of Jesus.  I will promiseyou that it will be the greatest experience of your life.  Go on amission trip, volunteer at a local soup kitchen, help an elderly personwith yard work, go visit folks in a retirement home or prison.  Putyour faith into practice. 

The humblest and poorest of the disciples of Jesus canbe a blessing to others.  They may not realize that they are doing anyspecial good, but by their unconscious influence they may start wavesof blessing that will widen and deepen, and the blessed results theymay never know until the day of final reward.  They do not feel or knowthat they are doing anything great.  They are not required to wearythemselves with anxiety about success.  They have only to go forwardquietly, doing faithfully the work that God’s providence assigns, andtheir life will not be in vain.  Their own souls will be growing moreand more into the likeness of Christ; they are workers together withGod in this life, and are thus fitting for the higher work and theunshadowed joy of the life to come.

My friend, it doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done, what youdo.  We are all called by God to serve in His name!  Choose this daywho you will serve.  As for me and my household, I will serve theLord! 

Blessings and courage!

Matthew