The Great Work of the Gospel-10
The Great Work of the Gospel by John Ensor
Chapter 10 The Great Work Unsheathed: Serving in the Great Work
Study and overview by Marc
The final chapter of the book ends with a great call to be part of the Great Work. "We are...created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).
"The grace of God calls us to repentance and faith, produces a panting heart for God, ten commissions us to a life of service in a broken world. We breathe in salvation and we exhale servanthood."
I love that quote..."We breathe in salvation and we exhale servanthood." That makes you wonder about so many in the church that think the churches main duty is to have good programs for them to stay busy and keep their kids off drugs. I am not saying that all people of churches are like this, but we all see it, we all at times live like this as consumers not servants.
John leaves us with the challenge to get involved in doing something, some great works, that God is in. He gives us great statistics about the gospel movement around the world and encourages us to get involved in great things...
"The outworking of God's grace does not reach its end in our private reformation. It works outward toward the public good. It is the law of love at work in us for he sake of others. The law of love picks a fight with poverty and oppression and darkness. It produces entrepreneurs of grace and virtue capitalists. It fights a war of love against all things that destroy body and soul. In the process, some are able to shut the mouths of lions while others are sawn in two (Hebrews 11:32,37). The law of love obeyed leads to radical joy in God and muscular Christianity in the world. Where the law of love is obeyed, Matthew 25:35-36 says, the sick are cared for, not euthanized. The imprisoned are visited, not left to despair in their guilt. The immigrant is assisted, not despised. The thirsty are given a glass of water. Is it not amazing that fetching water can be one of the good works God has reared in advance that we should do? Love should lead some of us men to befriend the neighbor boy who has no dad. Love should lead some to check in on the elderly woman who has lost her husband and perhaps fix her faucet."
Let us see where we have come from and let us glorify God by showing the world what love is. What am I doing in my home, church, and community that shouts the praises of God? How is my faith muscle? We do not do these things in an attempt to pay God back, that is impossible and insulting to God. We do these things in His power and grace for His glory and the good of others, in doing so, we will have supreme joy!
