To carry the joyful news of God's love to the world is the only real purpose of the ministry. Today we meet to set apart two of our brethren to the sacred work of the ministry. When men are thus set apart and consecrated for the service of God, it is natural that the church that sets them apart should sense something of that responsibility. Concerning the first Christian ordination service, we read that Jesus went up into a mountain, and He "calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach" (Mark 3:13, 14).
Two statements here are important. When the Lord called these men their first responsibility was to be with Him, and then "that he might send them forth to preach." That divine arrangement is arresting, for only men who have been with God are qualified to preach for God. Their service for others is the outgrowth of that fellow ship, and only one who senses a divine call can enter into this experience.
Then note it was Jesus who called "unto him whom he would." The men themselves had nothing to do with the call. This was something that proceeded entirely from God. The apostle Paul, in the early days of his training, never dreamed that he would be a minister to people outside of the Jewish nation, for he was a Pharisee, having qualified himself for service to his own people. But you will recall that one day on the road to Damascus to carry out the responsibilities placed upon him by the Sanhedrin, this man met Jesus. And the very first thing the Lord did for him was to blind him to all the ambitions of his proud heart. During those three days of darkness the Lord spoke to his heart. Christ and His work be came the passion of his soul.
Writing to the church in later years, he says, "I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace .of God given unto me" (Eph. 3:7). He did not make himself. God made him. And it was by "the effectual working of his power," by the indwelling of the Spirit of God, that Paul was made a minister. And why was he called? "To make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ" (verse 9).
This sets before us the purpose of all preaching to make all men see the mystery of divine love. And that is no easy task, for "the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not" (2 Cor. 4:4). As ministers we go out to men who are spiritually blind. What a delicate touch and what grace it requires to remove the cataracts of sin from the blinded eyes of the men and women around us! None but those who are spiritually guided can bring men the vision of the divine mystery. As those first heralds of the cross went forth to their work, it was to do more than preach. They were called to reveal the Lord Jesus to the world. Again the great apostle says, "It pleased God, who separated me . . . , and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me" (Gal. 1:15, 16). The life that reveals the saving power of God to the world must be no ordinary life. Only a crucified life can testify of a crucified Christ. It takes a holy man to reveal a holy God. M'Cheyne, that spiritual leader who, before he was thirty years of age, shook Scotland with his prayers more than a century ago, made a statement that I want to pass on to you, brethren. And may the Spirit of the Lord bring it often to your minds. He said: "It is not great talents the Lord blesses so much as likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God."
You may not be called to the responsibilities of conference administration, or to the great service of a singing evangelist, to sing a song into the hearts of lost men. God may not call you to be an outstanding preacher with the gift of silver-tongued oratory. But He has called you to be an ambassador of heaven. He has called you by His grace to be holy, and that demands the entire consecration of body, soul, and spirit. In the last book of the Old Testament there is set before us in beautiful language the true ideals of a minister. Let me read it from the Moffatt translation. It seems a little more impressive. "My compact was with him, life and peace I gave him, ay and reverence he did revere me, he did stand in awe of me. True instruction came from his mouth and no wrong issued from his lips; in peace and honesty he lived close to me, and he turned many away from evil" (Mal. 2:5, 6).
Brethren, that truly is a high calling, to live close to God, your lips moving only to tell the sweet story of the gospel of peace, and by divine grace to turn many away from evil. It is to this service that the Lord is setting you apart this day. As you come forward to be consecrated, I would remind you that this is a lifework. "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom" (Luke 9:62). The ministry is not a profession. Men can enter professions at will. One can choose to be a scientist, a lawyer, a teacher, a doctor, or enter some other profession, but you cannot invade the ministry like that. God has chosen you. Nor can you leave the ministry at will. If you do, it will be to suffer great spiritual loss.
Today you are being set apart as commissioned officers in the army of the Lord. In a few days, Brother Taylor, you will bear the insignia of a United States officer. But this service today is a higher calling and demands far more than any service we could render our country. As a commissioned officer in the army of the Lord, I urge you to ponder well the step you are taking.
When I lived in London some years ago my heart was heavy, as I knew millions of other hearts were. In those days it was not difficult to see World War II looming over the horizon and to recognize that the long-hoped for peace was far away. There was a particular family in the British Army that for generations had held high office. One of the sons was a major in the Seaforth Highlanders, than which no regiment in the British Army has a more illustrious history. He was a splendid specimen of
manhood outwardly handsome and brilliant. He was respected by his officers and loved by his family. No shady thing had ever been connected with that family. But he lacked real principle. He began to be very friendly with a young woman, and soon that friendship grew into an illicit relationship. She was an enemy spy. She spoke English perfectly, but her one purpose was to get military secrets; those that she relayed to her government.
For months officials of the army and Scot land Yard worked to locate the source of leaking information. Nobody ever suspected this officer. Even when the evidence was unquestionable, the opinion was ex pressed that such a thing was impossible. But at last it was revealed in all its horror. That officer was summoned to appear be fore a court-martial. The charge was made, the evidence was presented, he was proved guilty, and he was sentenced to death as a traitor. The sentence, if I remember correctly, was later changed to life imprisonment. He was brought before his regiment, and there was dishonored. One by one his medals and insignia were stripped from him. Everything that had been heaped upon him was taken away, and in disgrace he was drummed out of the army. A few months afterward his mother died of a broken heart.
That case made a tremendous impression on me. Could anything be more humiliating than that? Yes, there is something even worse. It is to see one who, having been commissioned as an officer in the army of God, living in illicit relationship with the world and because of a lack of true standards has to be separated from the ministry and his credentials taken from him.
This morning, my brethren, the church, through her representatives, is separating you unto the gospel ministry. May the Lord give you His grace to endure unto the end. It is no easy task to which you have been called. There will be times when you will wonder why you were sent to a certain Elace, or why you were called to a particular responsibility. That is the time you will need to lean heavily upon the arm of the Lord. This is a sacrificial work, and demands all there is of you.
A dear friend of mine, a fellow minister with whom I spent some time in a college, and who today is carrying heavy responsibility in one of the overseas divisions, told me an experience that came to him one day. His wife was not well, and the children were particularly fretful as he left home one morning. There were tears in the eyes of both father and mother as he said good-by. He had a feeling he ought to stay home, and yet his work was calling him. He left; he had many calls to make, sick people in a hospital to visit, a mother who had problems with an adolescent daughter, another family in distress who needed his counsel. One by one he discharged his duties. Then he came to the home of a certain Mrs. Jones. As he stepped inside she broke the joyful news that she had seen the light of the glorious message of God, and had determined to be baptized. Before he left the home that decision was sealed in prayer.
He went on; it was a hot day and he was tired. He did not have time to go home be fore the prayer meeting, so went to make a brief call on a friend, a prosperous businessman. As he walked into the office the friend said, "Glad to see you. I have good news. I just pulled off a big deal today. I made ten thousand dollars!" And he told him how he had done it. "That's when business is really interesting, when you can do that." They chatted for a few minutes, and then he had prayer with him. From there he went to the meeting, but the words "ten thousand dollars" kept ringing in his ears. In fact, he seemed to hear a whispered word saying, "Why don't you get out of this preaching, and do something that will bring you ten thousand dollars?" It was late when he got away, for some people there also needed counsel. When he reached home his wife greeted him, and after a brief chat about the family he told her about the big deal their friend had settled that day. As was his custom, he went into his study to pray before he retired. He lived again the experiences of the day and thanked the good Lord for every blessing. He came back to his wife, who was putting away the last of the toys.
It was late at night, but there was a new light in his eye. He put his arm around her and said, "I want to tell you something wonderful, dear. You know that Mrs. Jones we prayed for this morning? She made her decision today. She's going all the way." Then looking into her weary eyes, he said, "Honey, we too pulled off a big deal today not ten thou sand dollars, but God gave us a soul worth ten thousand worlds."
They dropped on their knees and thanked God. As they pillowed their heads that night, he seemed to hear the rustle of a wing, while a quiet voice spoke out of the stillness, "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."
A minister's work is often nonspectacular, but it is the most genuinely rewarding work in all the world. To that work we now dedicate you. May God give you both the joy of His presence as you go forth to His service.
