“The tragedy of life is often not in our failure, but rather in our complacency; not in our doing too much, but rather in our doing too little; not in our living above our ability, but rather in our living below our capacities.” -Benjamin E. Mays-
We should know that not all people will accept the gospel – “the road to destruction is wide and there will be many who find it”, Jesus says, “but the road to eternal life is narrow and there will be few who find it.” This tells us clearly that not all will accept the gospel. We must grasp this while at the same time not misunderstanding it. Many today have taken this message to mean that there are those who will be saved and those who will be lost and that is just the way it is supposed to be and there is nothing that can be done about it. But this is clearly the wrong interpretation and walks contrary to Jesus’ sacrificial work on the Cross. This directly contradicts Christ’s “great commission” for His followers to take the Gospel message of salvation to all the world winning converts and following it up by developing and making disciples. But yet our message must be constant to all – flee the judgment that is most certainly to come.
There is a very moving sermon on-line. It was preached the weekend after 9/11 by Carter Conlon a New York minister:
“He recounts some of the stories of police men, firemen and others who were running towards the towers, running into the danger area, shouting to those in the streets to flee. Some of those police officers knew they might die but their sense of duty meant that they kept running towards the building shouting to people to run for their life.”
If the Church is truly aware of what is to come then that should incite within us a desire to bring as many people into the Kingdom of God as we can. We should be walking the decks of the sinking ship screaming for people to get into the life boats! Surely we must be expending energy warning people that Christ is soon to come. Surely we must point them to the Redeemer whose arms of safety reached beyond the cross of Calvary. Surely we must be telling people to trust in the Savior for the salvation of their souls. The old adage “we’ve always done it this way” is worthless when that method hasn’t led to more church growth , greater spiritual life or maximum use of the tools and talents which God has placed in His field. Take that how you will…personal, family or Church complacency is too easy to breed and already has us with one foot in the grave.
Jesus says “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” Lk 17:10
Time’s up
