Couple of days ago I watched a movie End of the Spear. It's based on a true story of five American missionaries who met a tribe of Waodani in Ecuador. One of these missionaries was Jim Elliot, who's famous quote is: He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.
These five men die in the quest of bringing the Gospel to this lost tribe. But what is extraordinary, their wives take up where they left off. They go to the tribe that killed their husbands and they continue where they stopped.
Trailer for the movie End of the Spear
A little more info of Jim Elliot.
There are two quotes I want to share with you. Son of one of those missionaries asks his father just before he leaves for his last journey:
- If the Waodani attack will you defent yourself? Will you use your guns?
- Son, we can't shoot the Waodani. They're not ready for heaven. We are.
The other one comes when one woman from the Waodani tribe (that meanwhile became a Christian) is confronted with a man from her tribe. This is the way she tries to explain him the Gospel - in their language:
They came to tell you…Waengongi has a son. He was speared…but he didn't spear back. So the people spearing him…would one day live well.
I find it extremely beautiful how she related the Gospel to her people without stripping it of its power. Oh, if we could do just the same to our own people.
When Paul stood in front of "very religious men of Athens" on Areopagus he quoted one of their writers (Aratus) who wrote in his poem Phainomena: "For we are indeed his offspring." (Acts 17:28). Paul takes this statement as very true and immediately confirms this by saying: "Being then God's offspring..." (v. 29).
So knowing that we are the offspring of God, what does it mean? Paul says in Romans: "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God...The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:14.16-17).
So when the Bible speaks of Christians being sons of God and God's offspring, it really is talking about being real children of God. What is a child in the Bible?
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate (Psalm 127:3-5)
So if we take what God says about children and apply it back to Him, just then we really get to see the picture of what it means for us and for God that we are His children. God considers us as His heritage, "treasured possession among all peoples" (Exodus 19:5). We are the fruit of His labor (death on the cross) and His "reward". We are what makes Him look glorious - like arrows in the hand of a warrior (for His love and justice is vindicated in the death of His Son Jesus Christ).
Let's look at the patriarchs and their sons. Let's take Abraham and Isaac as an example (but this works even for Isaac and Jacob or Jacob and his sons). Abraham saw in Isaac a fulfillment of the promise God gave him (land and descendants). We can even say that Isaac was something in what Abraham could boast in. Abraham loved his son above everything else in this world but not more then he loved God. And let's now look at God whether we can find any parallels. God sees in Christians the ultimate fulfillment of the promise once given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for now (literally and more fully) they are a blessing to all the nations (Genesis 12:3 - in you all the families [nations] of the earth shall be blessed). Jews were to be a blessing, a lamp, to the world but they were centered in Israel (thus their influence was limited) and eventually they failed in this mission. But Christians are nowadays spread all around the world and so the promise of being a blessing to all the nations of the earth is fulfilled even more. God loves His children and "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) Abraham offered his son Isaac as a proof of his love for God. God offered His Son Jesus as a proof and means of His love for us.
So what is the conclusion? How is this to affect our lives? Many times we hear saying: We are the children of God. But many times we lack what it really means to be His children. How is He looking at us? How does He relate to us and we to Him? Being children of God means much more then just a status. It means a reality. Reality which we are to live in. Reality where God loves us and considers us as His treasured possession, heritage, fruit of His labor. Reality in which we are His true children.
In the past half a year I was strongly struggling with one problem. I asked myself a question: If I died this very night, would there be any eternal difference in this world that was made through my life? I was discouraged when I realized there wasn't. I don't mean there wouldn't be any difference at all, but there wouldn't be any that would last forever. That I would get to see the fruit of it in heaven when I would meet a person in whose life I was used by God as an instrument for salvation.
Maybe you yourself are asking that same question from time to time. Does my life matter? Has I changed anything in this world? These thoughts can be very discouraging and therefore let me tell you something. Something I thought of the other day and would like to share with all of you.
But first I think it's important for me to state what is the purpose of this article and what is not. The purpose of this article is not to give you a reason for not spreading the gospel. The goal of this article is to encourage you so that you will spread the gospel.
There's a short saying and it goes like this:
Only one life 'Twill soon be past Only what's done for Christ will last.
And Paul says: So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Only what's done for Christ will last and do all to the glory of God. That's what matters. That's what makes the eternal difference. It's not about keeping a score of how many converts I "made". It's about: How have I glorified God? Preaching the gospel and making disciples of all the nations is our secondary goal (of responsibility if you want). The primary one is God. In Matthew 22 Jesus is answering the question:
Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and FIRST commandment. And a SECOND is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:36-39)
We don't love God because we make disciples. We make disciples, because we love God.
One day everything will be gone. All the difference we think we made on this earth will disappear and the only "thing" that will remain will be us and God. Therefore everything we do must somehow relate to God - namely, everything we do we are to do to the glory of God. And because it's done for God, it will have the eternal difference because it shall remain. An 88 years old man that today became a Christian and will die tomorrow can make an eternal difference even if he didn't get to share the gospel once. How? Simply: he lived those 24 hours as a Christian - to the glory of God.
May we all live our lives in such a way that God gets all the glory!
Marek
Today I started reading 2 Timothy where Paul is giving last instructions to Timothy. Paul is encouraging Timothy not to be ashamed for the gospel in spite of all the suffering that proclaiming the gospel might bring upon him. But Paul knows that if we decide to stand for the gospel we will suffer. We read in verse 8 (chapter 1):
Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in SUFFERING for the gospel by the power of God.
Paul is saying there, that the way we handle these sufferings is by the power of God. The phrase "power of God" is certainly one of the favourites for Paul. Paul uses this pharase seven times in his letters and it's always implied that the power of God is the gospel. The clearest instance of this is found in Romans 1:16, where Paul proclaims:
I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.
the Gospel = the Power of God
So when we go back to 2 Timothy 1:8 we realize that the way we handle suffering BECAUSE the gospel is the GOSPEL itself. Then this verse could be read like this:
Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord,..., but share in suffering for the gospel BY the gospel.
Many times we are moked and made fools of because of the faith that is in us. At least that's my experience at school and many times when people find out I'm going to study at a semminary. We are being shamed BECAUSE of the gospel. But the way we fight this shame is the GOSPEL itself - The Power of God! For when we realize what we have in the Gospel (forgiveness of our sins, eternal life and Father who loves us with everlasting love) then there's nothing else in this whole world that is strong enough to put us in shame. And then we can say together with Paul:
In my today's devotion I was reading 1 Timothy 2. But when I came across the verse 3, I was stunned by what I saw there. We read:
This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
It's more obvious in Slovak translation where it's written: "in the sight of our God the Savior". There are many gods in this world that people have made for themselves. Whether they call them gods (ancient Egypt) or they make gods out of them (money, success, etc.) they are distinctively different from the God of the Bible, for He Himself is God the Savior (or put it another way: Saving God). All those made up gods let people serve them. When people sin "against them" it's a man who needs to fix it. A sacrifice or another act that will bring about peace. Something that will please their gods. But it's only the God of the Bible who's different. He fixes what men messed up. He says of Himself: I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior (Isaiah 43:11). It is the very nature of God that He's our Savior. That's who He is: Saving God.
It's even more clear when we look at God's Son - Jesus Christ. Even His own name reveals the greatest act He came to accomplish here on earth. For the name Jesus means: Jahve is salvation!
If we look back into 1 Timothy 2:5-6 we'll find a confirmation of the fact that God is Saving God: ...Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all.
Conclusion: Christianity is not just another religion. In fact, it's not a religion at all. Because though an important point in Christianity is what people have done (sinned) even more important point (actually, the most important) is what God has done - died for us - and thus became the Savior of all.
Konferencia pre Pracovníkov s Mládežou (Youth Workers Conference) is a conference that happens every year in Žilina. It’s done by TCKompas (the same people that run School for Youth Leaders – ŠPM – that I’ve gone to last year). The first time I went for this conference was two years ago. A year later, last year, I worked as a volunteer since I was a student of ŠPM. And this year is not any different. Again, I’m volunteering and looking forward to serving side by side with my close friends from Žilina and others from all around of Slovakia.
The theme of this conference is “Pay It Forward” (Podaj to ďalej) and the main idea is to pass on the baton in a race of discipleship. Jesus basically said in the Great Commission: Disciples, now it’s your turn, pay it forward! Spread the gospel to the ends of the earth to all the nations (Matthew 28:19-20). This is the trailer:
Let me tell you in short what I’ll be doing there. I leave to Žilina on Tuesday afternoon and I will come back late on Sunday. This year I will be in charge of many things. One really new thing for me is that I will lead a seminar (lecture) on small groups. I’ve never done this kind of thing before. It is a great responsibility, mainly when I realize that at the conference will be youth leaders all across Slovakia and some of them will come to my seminar for help, encouragements or guidance. I feel like I should be the one going for lectures and not to be the one giving them.
Another thing I’ll be doing will be translating. I will translate two another seminars and I have already done some ahead-of-time translating (songs, transcript for a video) and just now I’ve finished making Slovak subtitles for one video. Then I’ll be an MC for activities that will be every day during the main meetings (Thursday & Sunday once, Friday & Saturday twice). Also on Friday I will be in charge of two hours long “game” for people. Also doing some stage help king of stuff and all the random things that will pop up as the conference goes.
The reason why I say all this is not to boast. To show off how much of stuff I do. That is not the case. I don’t want you to feel pitiful about me. On contrary, I am more than happy to do it all. The very reason why I go to Žilina next week is the serve. I’m gonna come there and say: Here I am – what do you have me to do? That’s the reasons why I go there. I admit, it’s a lot and I fully realize that, but that even increases my joy to come and join by friends in this ministry to our fellow youth leaders. I believe that God will sustain us with His love, grace and power throughout the whole week.
But that’s where I need your help the most. As you know, I am very young. In both ways, physical and spiritual. And I’m aware of the responsibility that is laid on my shoulders. But I am in a great need of God’s grace because I know how easy it is to take all the credit to myself. How to become proud and how to glorify myself instead of God. So I want to ask you, my friends, would you pray for me in the coming days? Would you pray for my heart? That it would be humble, ready to serve and help. But never to boast and grow in pride. I’m coming to Žilina to serve our Lord and not myself!
If the activities will be awesome, if the lecture will be great and the big “game” will be just brilliant, but my heart will not be in the right place, everything fails!
Just as the apostle Paul has said in 1 Corinthians 13:
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have a prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Heart – the center of our being. If it’s corrupted, everything that comes out of us is corrupted as well. Please pray for me and others that I will be serving alongside with, that our hearts would be focused entirely on God and manifestation of His glory through spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth, to all the nations.
