Maze Jackson was an evangelist that would preach for us from time to time back in the 1980’s. The messages he preached were always to call for God’s people to get right and faithful to the Lord and to His house, the church. Two of those sermons come to mind quickly. One was, “When God sets your Barley Field on Fire.” I don’t know how any Christian could listen to that message and not run to the altar to get right with God. The second sermon I actually have on my desk at the church right now. It is titled, “I Had to Learn the Hard Way.” There are stories after stories about those that played with the world while claiming to love the Lord. They were living examples of how God had to get their attention. Many contemporary preachers don’t believe that God would use chastisement because He is a “loving God.” They are biblically illiterate. He is a loving God, but the Bible tells us that, “whom the Lord loves he chastens.” If you aren’t receiving discipline or chastisement when you are sinning, you aren’t truly saved. A passage to muse on would be Hebrews 12:6-8. Excuses are as old as time itself. The great old-time Evangelist Billy Sunday used to say, “An excuse is the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.” I talked with three men just last week and every one of them talked about being more faithful “when they get a few more things straightened out.” It reminds me of the story found in Luke 14:15-24. Three men all with excuses as to why they couldn’t attend a great supper given by the Lord. None of the excuses hold water. “I have bought a piece of ground and must go see it.” If it’s yours you can go see it the next day or why would you buy land without laying eyes on it. The lands not going anywhere. “I bought five yoke of oxen and I have to try them out.” Who is stupid enough to buy livestock without seeing them work, which is what oxen did. They plowed. The third one said, “I have married a wife and cannot come.” Why wouldn’t he want to show her off? If she didn’t want him to attend then he’s started that marriage out on a wrong foot. He’s hen-pecked.
From time to time it is good to use humor to make a point. I have used this story five years ago but some of our newer members may not have heard it and many may not remember it. Over forty years ago, I saw a humorous story that this story reminded me of. Once there was a wayward church family. They’d lost interest in God, the church, or anything connected to the church. There was the father and his three sons, Jim, John, and Sam. The preacher had visited them often talking with them about their souls. Others from the church had spoken with them and invited them to the services, but none of the efforts seemed to do any good…One day, the boys were out in the pasture, a large rattlesnake bit John, and he became seriously sick. The doctor was called, and after he had examined John he just shook his head and proclaimed “all you can do now is pray.” So, the father called the preacher to come quickly. Once there they asked the preacher to “please pray.” The prayer was a little different. “O wise and heavenly Father, I thank thee, for thou in thy wisdom sent this rattlesnake to bite John, in order to bring him to his senses. He won’t darken the door of the church and has no interest in living right. He’s felt no need to pray, and I pray this will be a sobering lesson for him and that this will lead him to repentance…and now, O Father, wilt thou send another snake to bite Sam and another to bite Jim. And Lord, send a real big one to bite the old man. We have been doing all we can for years to get them to think about you, but it seemed to have little impact. It seems that all our combined efforts could not do what this one snake has done. We thus conclude that the only thing left that will help this family is rattlesnakes. So, Lord, send us bigger and better rattlesnakes. In Jesus name, Amen.”
Let’s not just think of Christ when our ox gets into a ditch. Let’s serve Him all the days of our lives. Jesus ought to be more than a “get out of Hell free” card or a spare tire when life gives you a flat. If Christ is Lord of your life, then it is time we all act like it.