Preface 1979

Preface 1979

There was a lady who lived on the outskirts of a small town. She lived all by herself and, though living in the present time, she lived many years prior to this time with respect to conveniences in her home, for there was no energy there; that is, no electricity. From time to time, a friend from the city would come to visit her; and, on one occasion, the friend talked to her about the possibility of getting some electricity into her home. She had lived years and years with the old way; and there's nothing wrong with the old way, except that there is a newer, more convenient way, her friend tried to tell her. The reason her friend brought up the subject was that, on this occasion when the friend came to visit her, she saw some power lines which she had never seen before.

Perhaps the wind had blown many of the leaves away, or she had walked in a different direction, but she saw power lines which were going to a neighbor's, who lived some four or five miles up the mountain. And so she asked her friend, "Why don't you latch onto this power so that you can have electricity?" Well, she decided she would think about it; and when her friend came back several days later, she had decided that she would indeed take advantage of the electricity which was available. 'Why she hadn't done it before, she really didn't know. But now she did. And, after making proper arrangements, within several weeks, she was very happy, for her whole life had been changed Now she had more time to do things by using the available power. Everything was different!

I think that there is in America, and particularly in the American Church, an energy crisis. The advice given to us in the present energy crisis which we are hearing about, which tells us to do many things such as drawing the drapes and turning down the thermostat, is all very well. But I think in the church we ought to do just the opposite. I think we need to open up the drapes. I do not think we ought to turn the thermostat down, but I think we need to turn our inside thermostat up.

Now, the reason why the American Church doesn't latch onto the power could possibly be the same reason why the lady did not latch onto the power. First, she said there was an expense involved. There was a cost which she would have to bear. The second reason was that she really didn't know how to use electricity. Well maybe what we are suffering from is that we don't really know how to use the power that is available to us. Because I think we would all agree that the American Church is not operating at peak efficiency. Our wattage is quite low. It is so easy to turn it up, but we do not.

Now, when Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 28, "Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all the commands I have given you, and know I am with you always, yes to the end of time," those men believed it. They accepted it. They took it at face value. Today we read the verse of Scripture, and we change it to fit our own needs When Jesus says for you to go and make disciples and baptize, and teach, He says, if you do all these things, "I'll be with you."

Now the early disciples had no energy crisis. They just took seriously these words from our Lord, and why not? They came from their master. And since that time, other people have taken them seriously, and they have passed them on. The Church has realized from time to time, at least, that if we are to have a greater missionary, evangelistic zeal, the Holy Spirit of God has to come with His power. It belongs as a blessing of the Church, But when the Church has lost this, then God has moved on.

Let's note in passing, in the great moments of the past; for example, the first half of the first century, Jerusalem was the center of it all. In the second half of the first century, Antioch and Syria and other strong centers like Ephesus and Alexandria were the places where God was moving and working. From A.D, 33. until the close of the sixth century, He was in Constantinople. In Rome it was from AD 6. to around 1050. It was in France during the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries. In the 16th century, God was moving in a very mighty way in Germany, with Luther taking a strong hold, as he did in 1517, During the period of the colonization development, it was in England; but the age of skepticism came, and religion was paralyzed. Evangelistic zeal was chilled, soul-winning fervor was killed, and God moved on. During the first half of the nineteenth century He was in New England in the great revival of the United States of America around 1800.

But then, as someone has said, "The educational institutions were saved from the grip of infidelity and were transformed into mighty evangelistic agencies. The crime wave was wiped out, Liquor was brought into disrepute. The home life was saved. Prosperity was ushered in, the Churches were immeasurably strengthened. Foreign mission movement in America had started, and we were in the midst of revival as never before, But, at that time, Unitarianism swept across the Churches, denying the deity of Jesus, denying the inspiration of the Scriptures, Materialism absorbed our interests, and evangelistic effort was chilled. And then God moved on."

Some said He was only in the South for many years, I doubt that, But nevertheless, He was moving in various areas around our country as His Spirit moved, But the point to which I am building up is this question: "Is God even in America right now with His power?" You say, "Oh, my. Of course He is." And you can cite personal incidents which would be valid for you, but I'm doubting now if this great movement of God's power is even in America. When I read of great revivals that are sweeping other countries and areas,I wonder if we, the people of America, have not fallen so deeply into our sins that, maybe God is moving on. This is why we have the energy crisis, at least. How long we will have the energy crisis depends upon how you, yourself, will conserve.

What might the American Church be learning from this? None of us live to our selves, and none of us will die to ourselves. To do justice and to love mercy and to follow by walking humbly with our God is what the Lord requires.

I think the energy crisis could be solved so easily if we would just do it. I'm told, for example, that in the New England states, there lie in the ground, many seeds of tropical plants which have been brought there by birds, by the elements, etc. And I'm told that, if, in the New England states, it suddenly became very warm for a considerable period of time, these tropical plants would just take over the New England states. That is because they are there now in seed form, and all they need is a little bit of warmth so that they can begin germinating and growing. I think the American Church is this way. We have lain in wait too long for God's Spirit.

The Churches in America are tempted to think, "We can do it ourselves; we need not concern ourselves to ask God." Everything seems to be good. Why, we have our skills, we have our abi1ities. I think that the danger is that we might think we are smart enough to save ourselves. And our most destroying, our deadliest sin is that of pride. When each group says, "We're right" "I'm right" "You're right" I think one might discover he is most wrong when he claims to be most right.

Well, we have a long way to go in our Churches before we can reach the desire of Jesus when He said, "I desire that they all may be one" But it we could just realize that we personally have a part in the energy crisis in the American Church, I think some changes would occur.

We have fallen deeply into the reverse of "pursuing God - - worship. Example of the phrase some use, "the art of worship" has been lost in our congregations. In its place has come a word (cursed by all churches) the PROGRAM.

I guess we get this from the stage and we apply it to our worship services. We project a program – we follow a printed programs Let's get ride of the program and apply the power. It boils downs to the Program instead of the Power. Our programs methods, organizations, activities occupy out time and these can't take the place of longing for God. The simplicity which is in Jesus is not always found.

It must embarrass the Lord to see Hi children walking in shallow water instead of deep waters of His love and His Presence.

Sunday after Sunday – it is like a revolving door. We as a church are getting no where fast. We don't enter fully. Paul put it: "having a form of godliness." The writer of Hebrews put it: "Having therefore brethren, boldness to ender into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.