The last two evenings have been just outstanding — I actually mean it — just outstanding! I got two powerful spiritual thoughts from both… read on… you’ll be blessed…
Last night was the March Area-Wide Youth Devotional (AWYD) at Austinville Church of Christ. You can tell a lot about a church by how they respond when 300 kids invade their space. The Austinville church was wonderful — friendly and helpful — and the service was equally an encouragement.
The theme of the AWYDs this year has been “Here Am I, Lord Send Me.” We’ve tried to take some Bible characters and show how God used them — and then make direct application to how God can use young people for His glory today. Stephen Kelley did a marvelous job of telling the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus. He said something that rocked me to my socks. I’m sure I’ve heard it before — probably even said it — but it didn’t register like it did last night.
Stephen pointed out how God chose to use a 12-14 year old girl to carry out his plan for redeeming the world — and she was obedient to God’s call. When Stephen said that, I stopped, looked up from my Bible, and there was Maddison sitting in the pew in front of me (and a little to the left). Maddie is 14. Mary was no older than her! And Mary was obedient!
Times change. Cultures change. People don’t. I wonder if I would be obedient to God if I knew His plans involved my 14 year old daughter? I have trouble being obedient today when it is just me and the battle for my mind… Yet Mary, who couldn’t comprehend everything that was happening, was willing to trust God and obey. I don’t particularly like that song — “Trust and Obey” — but there is no other way to be happy in Jesus. Sunday evening was outstanding because I was reminded once again in a powerful way to trust and obey.
Tonight, I had the pleasure (along with Bill Shadix and Gilbert Springer) to attend a Gospel Meeting at the Old Moulton Road Church of Christ (OMR) in Decatur. My grandmother, Ruby Rhodes, was one of the original members of the OMR church. I remember her telling me how some Sundays they didn’t have any men present at all back in the early days. OMR is the congregation I attended while growing up. It is where I was baptized into Christ late on a summer Sunday night. I led my first song (“Here We Are But Straying Pilgrims”), led my first prayer, taught my first class, and preached my first Gospel sermon at OMR. If I remember correctly, that sermon was an acostic-type sermon based on the word “RESOLUTION.” Brother Joe Corley was away over the New Year’s holiday and the congregation suffered through my feeble attempt. OMR is still the home congregation for my parents and my aunt and uncle.
In 1986, we had a guest speaker at OMR named Allen Dvorak. He was excellent then. I remember him preaching (I’ve always paid attention to preachers) even though I was only 12 or 13 at the time. Allen Dvorak returned to OMR this week to speak in their Gospel Meeting. He presented an excellent message from Romans 3 called “The Divine Solution To Sin” that dealt with the theme of justification by grace through faith. It was an excellent presentation that really made me grateful to be a Christian.
One thing that I wrote in the margin of my Bible during the sermon was found in Romans 3:24. The verse says: “being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.” The bolded words, “as a gift,” are interesting. They mean someting given “freely” or something given “without cost.” However, they have another meaning. The same Greek word is used in John 15:25. Notice the words I bold in this reading: “But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their law, they hated me without a cause (John 15:25).” The very same word translated “gift” or “freely” in Romans 3:24 is translated “without a cause” in John 15:25.
What’s the big deal, preacherman? Here is the thought that made my night outstanding: God sent Jesus to shed His blood for me without a cause other than the fact that He wanted to. We have redemption for no reason other than His love. Without cause. That’s an outstanding thought!
