Last week one of our worshipers told his Bible Study class about what we should give to our Lord for His birthday.
Christmas, of course, is the one time when the person with the birthday really doesn’t get much of a gift. If you would like to read more about this theme, please read Christmas Is Not Your Birthday.
He primarily talked about giving Christ the gift of our repentance and renewal of our first love. He closed with the following story–a story worth telling and retelling because it shows the depth of love for lost sinners.
“In his great sermon entitled Ten Shekels and a Shirt,’ Rev. Paris Reidhead concludes with the story of two Moravian lads who were leaving their homes, friends and family forever to serve as missionaries on an island in the West Indies owned by a slaveholding atheist. The owner of the island had voiced the assurance that God’s Word would never be heard on his shores, but the lads had a different idea. They sold themselves to the island’s owner, thereby obtaining the funds for passage, with the intention of bringing Jesus to their fellow-slaves for as long as they drew breath.”
“As the ship slipped away from the dock on the falling tide, the lads gazed across the widening gap separating them from their weeping relatives and, raising their hands, shouted, “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!'”
They gave themselves as slaves because they were free in Christ.
What will you give our Lord for Christmas? Isn’t He worthy of our repentance, devotion, and service?
In this time of the year many people give for missions. I thank God for those who have given themselves so that others could know our God who is “wonderful, counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, prince of peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
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One Response
Indeed, these two understood the message. They truly presented their bodies as “Living Sacrifices,” Believing it to be their “Reasonable Service.” The right answer to fulfill the purpose of God’s Love, John 3:16.
How little times change. Those standing on the dock were likely amazed at their actions, their Faith and saddened within themselves. Perhaps to the point of wanting nothing more to do with such a cause. Just as others were amazed at those two who went to India very early in the Baptist Tradition. “Young man, you needn’t trouble yourself. If God wanted those people saved there, He would have saved them!” One can still hear from pulpits about “reality” and other people’s “problems” being their problem.
We have but to look around and let a few scales fall from our eyes to see how many are insulated in their constructed “reality.” I lived there too. The walls feel safe, as it was for the one in scripture who filled his barns to overflowing. The lessons of vanity are told all around us and even from our mirror. Indeed, “my problem” is the place to start, but that is because it was God’s problem too. Romans 12:5 instructs us that it is Christ’s and anyone ‘in Christ’ problem as well. Ya’ll is made up entirely of the individual ‘you’ taking on its responsibility. I beseech you (all of you, each of you, everyone of you) therefore Brethren that ‘all of you’ present your bodies as Living Sacrifices. What a lovely gift for our Lord and each other. What a lovely gift to receive, to realize the Joy of Our Lord.
Thank you for such a strong reminder with the story and strong example of leading a group of those who bring light into the darkness. As, even a child is known by his doings. Thank you for a wonderful challenge and sobering reminder; our “Reasonable Service” is seen as insanity to the dark around us as “Thy Kingdom Come…”
Blessings.