| Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “A life well spent”
Our Bible verse for today: “If anyone’s work that he has built up survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will experience loss, but he himself will be saved – but only through fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:14-15 (CSB)
Our thought for today: “Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
In 1 Corinthians 3:5-16 Paul was writing about the work of the disciples of Jesus in this world. He began the passage describing his own work of planting churches and helping them to grow. He explained that if others came after him and built upon the foundation he started, their work will be commendable before God. But if they waste their life (along with their opportunities and resources), in the day of judgment their earthly achievements will have been like hay or straw, burned up in the fire and shown to have been worthless. They themselves will be saved, but just barely. They will still make it into heaven, but their hair will be singed and their clothes will be smoking when they get there.
C.T. Studd was a great author and missionary to China in the mid-late 1800s. He gave his life for the cause of Christ and for spreading the Gospel in places it hadn’t been preached before. Many back home in England urged him not to go to China – they thought the sacrifices would be too great. But he did go, and he did suffer greatly, making big sacrifices and paying a large cost. But his ministry was powerful and multiple thousands are spending eternity in heaven instead of hell thanks to his faithful and sacrificial work.
At one point in his ministry Studd wrote a poem which quickly became famous and which has been a source of great inspiration to Christians worldwide for more than 150 years. The name of the poem is “Only One Life to Live”. It’s a long poem and so I will only quote the first stanza, but you will quickly get the feel of it:
“Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Too many of us spend our lives chasing after the things of the world while ignoring or neglecting the cause of Christ on earth. In the end the money, houses, cars, clothes, toys, and trinkets will be like hay and straw burned up in a fire. The only things on this earth that last forever are the souls of people. Helping to draw people into the kingdom of God and then to grow in their relationship with Christ is really the only earthly pursuit that has eternal value.
Our goal should be to live a life that will eventually be determined by Christ to have been “A life well spent”. We do that by being active in His kingdom-building work.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim |
Oak Hill Baptist Church