Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

Sabbath evening message at the Carleton ConferenceGod Wants MenRev. Gene W. Spear, Kobe, JapanScripture: Luke 9:57—10:24.(Continued from last week)III. God Wants Men to Serve Him Without Delay.In John 4:1-38 we read about Jesus talking withthe woman at the well and about her going to thecity and telling the men, "Come, see a man, whichtold me all things that ever I did: is not this theChrist?" It was probably as He watched the mencoming out to talk with Him that Jesus said, "Saynot ye, there are yet four months, and then comethharvest? Behold I say unto you, Lift up your eyes,and look on the fields; for they are white already toharvest."We must not say that after four months or afterfour years we will become Christian workers. Thereis a note of urgency here. The fields are already ripe.The longer they stand there unharvested the greaterthe loss. Men are dying every day — maybe threemillion a year in our country. How many of thesedie without Christ? How long will the mission fieldsbe open for continued preaching and teaching?We hope for a long time, but we do not know. Wemust serve Christ with all our hearts now whilethe doors are open.The essential thing we need first is a willingheart. When we are asked to become Christian leaderswe may say, "I can't do it." But this may mean,"I don't want to do it." The other response may be,"I can do little perhaps, but I will do the best I can."The differnce between Christian workers and thosewho are not workers is right here. If we are willing,we can prepare ourselves to serve Christ effectively.I know a young man who seemed quite limitedwhen he joined the church. He couldn't pray publiclyor even speak more than a few words in prayermeeting. But he was willing, and now he is teachinga Sabbath school class every week and may becomean elder.While he was still a young man St. Augustineattended a meeting in a distant city and listenedto an old man named Valerius preach. Old Valeriusneeded help in the church and so he began to makean earnest appeal to the young men to dedicatethemselves to the service of Christ. "Some of you,"he pleaded, "have the dew of youth, strong, bright,gifted, qualified. And what are you doing? You aresaying to Christ, I pray thee, have me excused. Youare saying, I have bought a yoke of oxen and I goto prove them."Tell me! Tell me one thing, I pray. Do youthink your excuses will be endorsed by our Judgein that day when He shall bring to light the hiddenthings of darkness."I appeal to you in Christ's stead, my dearyoung men, come out and come forth and give yourselvesas servants to the Most High God. I imploreyou, nay, I charge you in the name of Christ to doso. Be sure you are not disobedient to the heavenlycall."Augustine came out that day to serve Christand later became the successor of Valerius and oneof the greatest theologians of all time. In the wordsof Romans 12:1, "I beseech you therefore brethren,by the mercies of God to present your bodies aliving sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which isyour reasonable service." It is our Christian dutyand privilege to give ourselves in the service ofChrist. Jesus said, "My meat is to do the will ofHim that sent Me, and to finish His work" (John 4:34). May the Lord give us all this same spirit.But if we and others, around us are to have thisspirit we must pray. "Pray ye therefore the Lord ofthe harvest that He will thrust forth laborers intoHis harvest." Jesus lays great emphasis on this.Only God can call us and equip us for service. OnlyGod can make us humble and willing. Only God canmake us bold and courageous to stand for the truth.Only God can give us faith to believe that He canuse us for the salvation of souls and the building ofthe church. We must pray to the Lord of the harvest,for He is able to hear. We must pray in prayer meeting,in our family worship, in our closet, when weare too busy, and when we have time to rest. Wemust pray often for more laborers in this greatharvest of souls.•••6