ANXIOUS PEOPLE... WHO WANTED TO KNOW

Luke 12:16-2O; Luke 18.18; Acts 2:36-37; Acts 9:6; Acts 16:32-34

It was my privilege for four exciting years to be the national

evangelist of the South African Baptist Church. I shall always be

indebted to the people who bestowed upon me that inestimable honor.

I had completed my training, pastored a church for eight years, and

believed I was competent to answer the challenge. I quickly discovered

in the new country that I had much to learn in fact, I knew nothing.

During my stay in that wonderful country, I met distinguished people

and explored strange places. My two books Black Radiance and Silent

Challenge explained what I discovered. I also learned to appreciate the

viewpoints of others who did not share my faith.

Within a Jewish synagogue in Pretoria a very fine gentleman

explained his faith. He informed me that I was a sinner who needed

forgiveness. When I asked how this could be accomplished, he pointed

to an inscription on the wall and said, "You must keep the ten

commandments."

At the Feast of Ramadan in Durban, I was given a place of honor.

My gracious host explained that I was a sinner, and to be forgiven I

would be required to do certain things. Pointing to five pillars that

supported the roof of the building, he said: "The pillars represent the

five great laws of the Moslem faith: (I) each day you must say `The

Lord our God is one God, and Mohammed is his prophet'; (2) daily, at

the call to prayer, wherever you might be, you must kneel to pray, facing

the east; (3) two and a half percent of your income must be given to

the poor; (4) you must observe the feast of Ramadan; (5) once in your

lifetime, should it become possible, you should visit Mecca."

A Hindu priest took my wife and me into one of his temples. His

teeth had been filed downward to points; they resembled bars guarding

a cave. He was very courteous and proud of his appearance. He spoke

in broken English and explained the many gods that stood on pedestals

around the building. He lifted gray ashes from a bowl and gave them

to me, explaining I was a sinner and needed forgiveness. If I rubbed

the ashes into my forehead, the god would be pleased and pardon would

be assured. He gave red ashes to my wife so that she also might be

forgiven.

During my four years, in varying circumstances, I was told that

unless I did something, my sins would remain. Luke would have

appreciated those experiences, for on five different occasions he wrote

of people who asked about salvation and said, "What shall I do'?"

 

The Rich Fool.., and His Mistake

And he [Jesus] spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of

a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within

himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where

to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down

my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits

and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much

goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be

merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall

be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou

hast provided? (Luke 12:16-20)

This was only a parable, but it supplied a portrait of people who could

be seen daily. A wealthy farmer was delighted with the size and quality

of his crops; they probably surpassed anything known during his

experience. His eyes narrowed; his barns were already well filled, and

it would be regrettable if any of the new harvest were lost. Yes, he would

demolish the old structures and erect barns capable of holding

everything. Then he could say to himself, "Soul, thou hast much goods

laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry." Poor

fellow. He did not live long enough to see the old barns being destroyed.

Jesus continued: "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is

not rich toward God" (v. 21). There was nothing sinful about having a

large harvest; neither was it wrong to plan larger barns. Yet it was

foolish to exclude God from his business interests. He was not rich

toward God and consequently, died a pauper. Many poor people in his

area, especially widows, would have been grateful had they been offered

a small share of the farmer's surplus. He would not have missed

anything had he planned to build fewer barns and fed some of his hungry

neighbors. Even his workmen would have been delighted to receive

extra wages. The landowner was foolish. He spoke of my fruits, my

barns, my goods, my soul. He possessed much but enjoyed little. Had

he been a wiser man, he would have spoken of my God, my Helper, my

blessing, my destiny. He resembled a wealthy sailor whose ship sank

within sight of home.

 

The Young Ruler.., and His Money

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I

do to inherit eternal life? (Luke 18:18)

He was different from his colleagues; the young ruler was virtuous,

considerate, sincere, and popular. Known for his outstanding charm,

he was recognized everywhere. The young man was wise enough to

know his money could not buy everything. When he approached Jesus

to ask about eternal life, a new era was opening before him. He had

become aware of an emptiness within his soul; something was missing!

He had possibly heard the new Rabbi and recognized the sincerity of

the One who spoke about the pure in heart and how they would see

God. Calm, dignified, majestic, Jesus was different from other public

speakers. He seemed to be a mystic who understood the things of God

and yet was so approachable that children climbed upon His knees.

He used simple words, but His eloquence captivated multitudes of

listeners. He spoke of eternal life, and this mystified the young ruler.

It would be wonderful to acquire immortality. "Master, you speak about

eternal life. What must I do to inherit it?" Evidently, he already knew

he did not have it. The Teacher apparently had no money, but He

possessed something special. Where did Jesus obtain His serenity?

"Master, tell me, so that I also might have eternal life. I have kept the

commandments, but something is lacking in my soul."

"Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest

thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and

thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me" (v. 22).

The questioner was stunned. He imagined what life would be if he

joined this band of preachers who had no money, no home, no lavish

lifestyle. The teacher seemed to be saying, "Don't worry, You will still

have Me." Suddenly the man's question changed. He came asking what

he should do to inherit eternal life; he departed asking, "How can I avoid

becoming poor?" The price to be paid for the new life was so

overwhelming, he forgot to ask what would happen if he rejected the

Savior's advice. "He was very sorrowful: for he was very rich" (v. 23).

Was the ruler ever haunted by the memory of his unwise decision?

Many people know how to obtain eternal life, but like the ruler they

refuse to follow Christ. Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you

(Matt. 6:33). The young man would have endorsed that statement had

the word first been omitted.

 

The Jews ... and Their Memories

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath

made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and

Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart,

and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren,

what shall we do? (Acts 2:36-37)

Jerusalem was in an uproar! The centers visited by tourists and

pilgrims were deserted; people were elsewhere. Strange fishermen from

Galilee were preaching in the streets. They claimed to have proof that

Jesus of Nazareth had risen from the dead to become a Prince and a

Savior. Crowds of listeners were being influenced by these open-air

speakers, but even more disconcerting was the magnetism of a man

called Simon Peter. He was an uneducated fisherman from Capernaum

who spoke with authority. He not only claimed that Jesus was the

expected Messiah, he proved the fact with numerous quotations from

the sacred Scriptures. It was bewildering how an untrained man could

be so eloquent. The listeners were restless. If they had killed the Son

of God, their future was ominous.

The people needed to know what they were to do. The answer to

the question was clear and concise: "Repent, and be baptized every one

of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye

shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (v. 38). "Then they that gladly

received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added

unto them about three thousand souls" (v. 41). Blessed are they who,

knowing what should be done, do it.

 

The Blind Persecutor... and His Mission

And he [Saul of Tarsus] trembling and astonished said, Lord, what

wilt thou have me to do? (Acts 9:6)

Poor Saul; just when his ultimate triumph seemed assured, victory

eluded his grasp. The invincible had been vanquished. "And the men

which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing

no man" (v. 7). It seemed to them that a spirit had attacked their leader;

he had been confronted by an adversary against whom there was no

protection. Within the city of Damascus, Christians feared the approach

of the persecutor; brothers and sisters in the faith had been imprisoned

and murdered, and now the relentless foe was intent on resuming his

diabolical efforts. They did not know that the risen Christ had gone to

meet the aggressor. "And as he [Saul] journeyed, he came near

Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from

heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him,

Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, who art thou, Lord?

And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for

thee to kick against the pricks" (vv. 3-5). This confrontation prompted

the question from the trembling man, What wilt thou have me to do?

"And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall

be told thee what thou must do" (v. 6b).

During the following days Saul had plenty of time to reflect upon

his behavior, as he sat blind in his apartment wondering if he would

ever see again. Then suddenly he heard a knock on the door and a

cheerful voice said, "Brother Saul." Saul listened, learned, and loved,

and from those early beginnings his ministry became worldwide. He

became the missionary to the Gentiles, and that was exactly what God

wanted him to be. All converts should seek the counsel of older

Christians. A man without a church becomes a hermit who preaches to

a congregation of one.

 

The Philippian Jailer.., and His Ministry

And they [Paul and Silas] spake unto him the word of the Lord,

and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour

of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and

all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house,

he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all

his house. (Acts 16:32-34)

At first the jailer thought he was having a nightmare. His bed was

rolling like a ship in a storm; the noise of swinging doors and the sound

of falling masonry sounded like thunder. Then suddenly, he awakened

to realize this was not a dream but a devastating earthquake. The world

was falling apart!

"And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing

the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed

himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with

a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he

called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down

before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must

I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and

thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (vv. 27-31). That was his most

memorable night. At first he feared the prisoners had escaped, but then

they were forgotten as the jailer escaped from bondage of a different

type. If the prisoners disappeared, who cared? The official was too busy

enjoying his own freedom. It was interesting that he asked about

salvation; he was not a theological student, but he appreciated reality.

Paul and Silas possessed something he did not. When he received the

answer he needed, he acted. He brought them out. He washed their

wounds. He was baptized. He fed them, and he rejoiced with all his

family.

 

Within the early church every meal was a love feast when bread was

broken to commemorate the sacrifice of Christ. The new convert grew

quickly. He was baptized, enjoyed his first communion, and learned

how Christ could fill his soul with intense joy all in a matter of hours.

His experience contrasted with that of Paul. Midday became midnight

when outside of Damascus, the persecutor became blind. At midnight

it became noon when the Light of the World shone into the jailer's

darkened soul. He asked how he could be saved, and then transformed

his home into a sanctuary where his family became an attentive,

worshipping congregation. What can we do for Christ?