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MOODY'S SERVANT'S HEART

A large group of European pastors came to one of D. L. Moody’s Northfield Bible Conferences in Massachusetts in the late 1800s. Following the European custom of the time, each guest put his shoes outside his room to be cleaned by the hall servants overnight. But of course this was America and there were no hall servants.

Walking the dormitory halls that night, Moody saw the shoes and determined not to embarrass his brothers. He mentioned the need to some ministerial students who were there, but met with only silence or pious excuses. Moody returned to the dorm, gathered up the shoes, and, alone in his room, the world’s only famous evangelist began to clean and polish the shoes. Only the unexpected arrival of a friend in the midst of the work revealed the secret.

When the foreign visitors opened their doors the next morning, their shoes were shined. They never know by whom. Moody told no one, but his friend told a few people, and during the rest of the conference, different men volunteered to shine the shoes in secret. Perhaps the episode is a vital insight into why God used D. L. Moody as He did. He was a man with a servant’s heart and that was the basis of his true greatness.

[Gary Inrig, A Call to Excellence, (Victor Books, a division of SP Publ., Wheaton, Ill; 1985), p. 98]

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ILLUSTRATION… Discipleship Journal, 11-12/92
A recent survey of Discipleship Journal readers ranked areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them:
1. Materialism
2. Pride
3. Self-centeredness
4. Laziness
5. (Tie) Anger/Bitterness
5. (Tie) Sexual lust
6. Envy
7. Gluttony
8. Lying

Survey respondents noted temptations were more potent when…
they had neglected their time with God (81 percent)
and when they were physically tired (57 percent).
Resisting temptation was accomplished by prayer (84 percent), avoiding compromising
situations (76 percent), Bible study (66 percent), and being accountable to someone (52 percent).

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You turn on the TV set to see a large family sitting at a long dining room table. A man and a woman sit at opposite ends of the table, with three boys on one side and three girls on the other. Then another woman appears from the kitchen wearing a blue blouse and a white apron. She’s also wearing a huge smile and carrying a large casserole dish. Who’s the servant? It’s Alice from The Brady Bunch.

You switch channels and see a family in the living room of their Bel Air mansion. A teenage girl has just brought in the haul from her shopping day at the Beverly Hills boutiques. A younger sister clamors to see what she bought. A large middle-aged man seems to be rebuking a tall, slender, younger man, while a woman stands behind nodding her approval. In walks a short man with a black tuxedo with tails, a white shirt with a black bow tie and white gloves. He makes a smart remark before being sent to another room by the increasingly grousy middle-aged man. Who’s the servant? It’s Jeffrey from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

A few more channels away you see a creepy lot of characters. The living area has the finest antique furniture but is strewn with cobwebs. Candles flicker throughout the room. A hyperactive black-haired man kisses up and down his rather gothic looking wife’s arm on the sofa while the kids play with a tarantula on the floor by the fireplace. Even stranger sights are yet to appear. In comes a bald man so pale he looks almost blue. He’s dressed like a monk and has a light bulb in his mouth. Next in comes a 4 foot ball of hair on legs waving its arms and wearing a hat and glasses, followed by a single hand scurrying across the floor. Then the amorous man takes a break from the arm of his wife long enough to pull a large rope dangling from space and in walks a monstrous living corpse of a man, who bellows in a deep monotone, "You rang?" Who’s the servant? It’s Lurch from the Addams Family.
TV has had its share of servants. Alice, Jeffrey, and Lurch are distinguishable from the families they serve because they are always serving. You might recall, even the occasional glimpses into Alice’s love life were centered around her dutiful runs to the meat market, where she was wooed by Sam the Butcher. You see, a servant is always identified by their activity.

How valuable is salt? 40 million tons are required each year to fill our needs. Homer called it divine. Plato called it a "substance dear to the gods." Shakespeare mentioned salt 17 times in his plays. Perhaps Leonard da Vinci wanted to send a subtle message about purity lost when he painted "The last Supper." In that painting an overturned salt cellar is conspicuously placed before Judas. In ancient Greece a far-flung trade involving the exchange of salt for slaves gave rise to the expression, "...not worth his salt." Special salt rations were given to Roman soldiers and known as "Solarium Argentums" the forerunner of the English word "salary." Thousands of Napoleon?s troops died during his retreat from Moscow because their wounds would not heal--their bodies lacked sal...

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The great violinist, Nicolo Paganini, willed his marvelous violin to Genoa -- the city of his birth -- but only on condition that the instrument never be played upon. It was an unfortunate condition, for it is a peculiarity of wood that as long as it is used and handled, it shows little wear. As soon as it is discarded, it begins to decay. The exquisite, mellow-toned violin has become worm-eaten in its beautiful case, valueless except as a relic. The moldering instrument is a reminder that a life withdrawn from all service to others loses its meaning. (Bits & Pieces, June 25, 1992.)

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THOUGHTS ON DISCIPLESHIP by Willard, Stott, and Warren

Dallas Willard in his book "Divine Conspiracy" states: "....discipleship is real-life apprenticeship to Jesus." If we are students of Jesus then we must be with him. If I am an apprentice, a disciple, that means I must be with him to learn from him, how to be like him.

To take an illustration from ordinary life; a child learning to multiply and divide numbers is an apprentice to his/her teacher. Children are with their teachers learning from them how to be like them. The same would be true for a student of piano, or voice, or tennis. The "being-with" by watching and hearing is an absolute necessity.

Rev. John Stott in his book The Contemporary Christian
Writes: "discipleship is a many faceted lifestyle, an amalgam of several ingredients. In particular, it includes worship, faith, obedience and hope. Every Christian is called to worship God, to trust and obey him, and to look with confident hope towards the future." It is our duty to worship God in public and private.

Rick Warren states: "You were created to be like Jesus. This is your destiny. From the very beginning, God's plan was to create human beings to reflect His image. God announced his intention at Creation: "Then God said, "let us make mankind in our image and likeness."

(From a sermon by Clarence Eisberg, Casual Discipleship...Not an Option, 6/24/2010)

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"I'LL GO BACK AND TELL THEM AGAIN."

In a book entitled "Jungle Harvest," written by a missionary named Ruby Scott, she describes some of her experiences in reaching a people group known as the Tila Indians who lived in a remote village in the jungles of south Mexico, just north of the Guatemalan border. As Ruby and her colleague learned the Tila language, they translated the message of the Bible in order to give the people the Scriptures in their own tongue; and they arranged to have the Gospel recorded and duplicated on records that could be played on little record players that worked by turning a crank. The Tilas were astonished at this.

One of the men who heard the message was a witch doctor named Domingo. He was in his mid-fifties and illiterate. When he learned about Christ, he turned from his old way of life and was wonderfully converted. He instantly became burdened for his old friends, the other witch doctors in his former village. One day he decided to take the message to them. He borrowed one of the portable record players and the records and off he went.

His former friends were happy to see him, and they talked, laughed, and reminisced about the good old days. When Domingo opened up the record player, they watched him with great curiosity and begin listening. After playing some of the Scriptures, Domingo told them that God had turned his heart around. He shared his own testimony with them and preached the Gospel to them as well as he could.

They were angry and skeptical, and they replied, "How can you, who have experienced the power and authority of a witch doctor, turn your back on the very gods who have chosen you?" They argued with him and threatened him. Domingo remained calm and kept preaching Jesus to them. Finally, his friends grabbed their machetes and ordered him to leave.

Domingo hastily closed the phonograph and slipped the records into his carrying bag. Swinging the machine onto his back, he turned sadly and started down the trail. But he was so burdened and so upset that he felt he had to make just one more try. Turning back, he began to say another word for Christ.

In great anger, one of the men raised machete and aimed it at Domingo’s phonograph. Instinctively, Domingo’s hand touched the machine to steady it, and the machete sliced off three fingers. Domingo hurried away, and when he was out of sight he stopped and tore a sleeve from his shirt to bandage his bleeding hand. Then he trudged wearily home.

Two days later, as Ruby Scott was dressing the stumps of his fingers, she coaxed him to tell her exactly what had happened. He told the story, then after a long pause, he looked at her and said these words: "Those poor men! God’s message just didn’t grab their hearts. I’ll go back and tell them again."

In her book, Ruby Scott wrote that she stayed awake a long time that night, staring into the dark and thinking of Domingo’s crippled hand and of his quiet words: "I’ll go back and tell them again." She thought of the times she had failed to witness to her friends, the times she had grown discouraged with her witnessing, and the times she had failed to go back and tell them again. Then she wrote, "I turned over, struggled to my knees in the cramped confines under my mosquito net, and rededicated my life to the Lord. I asked him to make me as faithful a missionary as this humble, illiterate former witch doctor."

(From a sermon by David Rumley, Authentic Life Part 6 - James 3:1-12 - Tattle Tale, 8/19/2010)

AN INVITATION (AND A REJECTION FORM)


Dearest (your name),

You are cordially invited to come and enjoy the delicious banquet of my salvation. Serving will begin at My House and will continue for eternity. I’d love for you to come and get to know Me personally–and join my Family.

This feast is free to you because the cost has already been paid by My precious Son, Jesus. You are receiving this invitation simply because I love you. Please join me...and you may come just as you are.

Sincerely,
God Almighty

RSVP

Engraved with the Blood of Jesus


What is your response? Will you accept His invitation? Or will you make an excuse? For those of you who choose to reject God’s gracious invitation, I have something for you. Here’s an excuse form for you to use. Fill it out and tear it off. Keep it with you all your life, and when you die, leave instructions for the funeral director to place this excuse form in your hand, so when you stand before God, you can offer Him your excuse.

Dear Jesus,

On June 23, 2002, I heard your servant, (insert name), invite me to come to You for forgiveness of my sins and eternal salvation. I’m sorry, I cannot come to You today because (give your excuse)
...

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MAKING YOUR LIFE COUNT FOR SOMETHING

Many years ago at a Presbyterian retreat center near Asheville, NC, the annual summer conference was being held. An elderly man with a neatly clipped white goatee and resonant voice rose to speak. He explained that he was a medical doctor and he had a story to tell. He told how during the Civil War he had ridden horseback through the Cumberland Mountains on his way to join the Confederate Army. Since there were so few inns in the area, the mountain people took him into their humble mountain cabin to stay for the night. He had become impressed with their hospitality and intelligence even though they were poor.

Years later when he was a successful doctor in Arkansas, he had become desperately ill with scarlet fever. He vowed that if he lived he would return to the Appalachians and help the people. He had sacrificed his fine medical practice to start mission work in Arkansas, Kentucky, and finally the Great Smokies. Here, he had met Miss Alice Henderson, a Quaker from Ardmore, PA. She shared his mission of helping the mountain people. She had started three schools, including the Cutter Gap school. But she needed help. With great passion he urged the group, "These highlanders are your countrymen, your neighbors. Will you hear and help?"

As the group stood to sing "Just As I Am" the heart of a young lady was stirred deeply. She went forward, gripped the speaker’s hand, looked him in the eyes, and said,
"You asked for volunteers. You are looking at one."
"And for what do you volunteer, my child?"
"For the highlanders. I could teach, anywhere you want to use me."
"Are you sure, child?"
"Quite sure."

So, nineteen-year-old Christy Huddleston left her comfortable and affluent home in Asheville to teach at the Cutter Gap Mission school in the Smoky Mountains.
Upon arriving, she was greeted by Miss Alice Henderson, the school’s head. She asked Christy why she had come. Christy replied, "I want my life to count for something."

And it did. She endured the rugged and rigorous mountain life to teach boys and girls to have a better way of life. They were changed. In the process, she was changed, too. She discovered joy and satisfaction in helping others.

(From a sermon by Bob Joyce, What’s Your Story? 11/10/2010)

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THOM RAINER AND THE UNCHURCHED NEXT DOOR

Thom S. Rainer has written a book entitled "The Unchurched Next Door". He wants people to understand the unchurched in order to better reach them. The premise is that we do not invite our neighbors for all the wrong reasons. He encourages Christians to make the effort to invite others to church that they might hear the Gospel and be saved. The number one reason unchurched people do not come to church is because they have not been invited. Do not quit inviting people because some refused your invitation.

Before you take this sermon and run with it, let me give you some suggestions. Dr. Rainer lists several tough questions that we should ask ourselves before we go out. This is not to get us to stay home, but rather to get us to prepare.

-- How is your prayer life? We will never be able to reach those who are unchurched unless we are a people of prayer.

-- Whom did you tell about Jesus today? The question is not how do you share, but, did you share your faith. The best way to share your faith is to just do it!

-- How is your family life? Satan's most effective tactic is to attack the Christian in his/her family life. Is your faith evident in and to your family life?

-- Do you need to reconcile with someone? We are called to a ministry of reconciliation. "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation." (2 Cor 5:18 KJV) Jesus said in Matthew 6:13, that we cannot worship until reconciliation is made.

-- Are you committed to your church? It is not "what can the church do for me" but rather "what can I do for my church?" Paul wrote many times thankful for the ministry and people of the churches.

-- Do you love others unconditionally? It is easy to write off people who are not like us. Love the unlovable.

-- Do you have an attitude of gratitude? God was gracious to us. We should be gracious to others and extend mercy.
Will you invite and bring someone to church next Sunday? Most of the un- churched you know are receptive and waiting for you to ask them to come with you. If one does not respond do not quit asking.

"Remember, your circle of fellowship should be larger than your circle of membership" (Randel Trull, DOM, HPBA). Today the circle of the membership is larger than the circle of fellowship. Jim Ellif, writing in the Baptist Press says, "Today it would take 300 people to have 100 attending. In the 1790's it took only 33." In the early 1900's it took 100 to get 300 to attend. The circle of membership exceeds the circle of fellowship. Extend the circle of fellowship and thus the circle of membership in the Kingdom of God. Go and get them.

(From a sermon by Glenn Dunaway, We'll Leave the Light On, 11/25/2010)