WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?
Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer

Chapter 1
What Would Jesus Do?

In 1897, Charles Sheldon wrote a book titled, In His Steps. In it, he wrote about the mythical town of Raymond that experienced transformation because of church members who were challenged to a new commitment.

Reverend Maxwell, the pastor of the church, was preparing a sermon on 1 Peter 2:21: Christ Suffered For Us That We Should Follow In His Steps. The doorbell rang and the pastor went to the door to discover a young man — a tramp, looking for work. He expressed his sympathy, but was unable to help the man who stood dejectedly at his door.

Two hours later the pastor’s sermon was finished, and that Sunday he preached on the topic of: The Sacrifice And Example Of Christ. At the end of the service, a man came to the front of the church and began giving a speech. The pastor recognized him to be the same one whom he had seen the day before.

“I’m not drunk ... and I’m not crazy,” the young man began. “But I lost my job ten months ago. I’m a printer by trade and I’ve not been able to find work. My wife died four months ago and I have a little girl that I can’t take care of. I don’t expect you to find a job for me, but I do wonder what you mean when you say ‘I’ll go with Jesus all the way?’ What does it mean when you sing songs like, ‘Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken’? Are you folks actually denying yourself to win the lost? Are you making sacrifices to help people in distress?”

As the story goes, the man collapsed after his brief speech and was taken to the pastor’s home and cared for. He died later that week, and his last request was that he see his daughter, a request that was granted. His last words were, “Thank you for taking care of me ... I think this is what Jesus would have done.”

The next Sunday, the pastor gave a challenge to his congregation: How many would be willing to pledge themselves to this basic proposition — that for one full year they would do nothing without first asking “What would Jesus do?” About 50 people were willing to take him up on his challenge. There was a publisher of a newspaper, a superintendent of the railway, school teachers, and a woman who had just inherited a million dollars. After the service, the pastor explained that although they might not always know what Jesus would do in a particular situation, these people were committing themselves to asking the question and answering it as best they could. He also cautioned them not to make any decisions on the basis of immediate results. The real question was: What would Jesus do? Once that was answered, it was the responsibility of each person to obey.

The rest of Charles Sheldon’s book addressed the struggles each person accepting the challenge faced in applying this basic question to his life. The publisher of a Sunday newspaper wondered whether Christ would have published a Sunday edition. Would a boxing match be on the front page? He made some tough decisions without any regard to the consequences — whether the circulation would increase or decrease. Others found it difficult to apply this question to their lives, but as best as they knew how, they were obedient to Christ. A revival came to that community.

Our lives have become very complicated. We are cluttered and we are confused; we don’t know what we should be doing. Could our lives be simplified merely by asking: What would Jesus do? How would He treat His employees? How would He invest His money? How would He spend His time? Yes, on many occasions we might not know the answer to that question, but for each time we would be puzzled, we may have three or four times when we know perfectly well what Christ would do if He were in our shoes.

“What would Jesus do?” If we took this question seriously, what would our priorities be?

Changing What We Think

Prayer occupied much of Christ’s life. Whole nights were spent in fellowship with the Father, seeking His guidance and companionship. That fellowship took high priority and was never compromised.

A second priority would be people. One day Jairus, an official of the synagogue, begged Christ to come to his home because his daughter was dying. En route, Christ met the woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years. Despite the pressure of getting to the sick girl, Christ stopped to heal this woman and speak a word of encouragement. “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well” (Matthew 9:22).” He had time for people.

If you were to take Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and cut out all of the passages that tell of Christ’s sacrificial involvement with people, you would only have a few pages left. Everyone, from the old to the young, from the rich young ruler to the little children, felt loved in His presence.

What would Jesus do? If we want to follow Him, we must extend our circle of friends and become involved in the lives of others, regardless of the cost. Our problem is that we often stay within our comfort zone. That is, we simply stay within our circle of friends without befriending the people of the world. To be like Jesus means that we accept the inconvenience that others impose upon us and we do so with graciousness and love.

If we follow Christ, if we do as He would do, we must also live a life of purity. He was not seduced by the world. So the next time we sit down before a television set or rent a movie from a video store, we must ask, “What movies (if any) would Christ watch?... How much money would He put in the bank?... How much would He give away?...How much time would He spend at work, play and in service to others?”

If we seriously ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?”, we might sometimes find we do not know exactly what He would do in our situation. Yet, we might surprise ourselves by how often we know exactly, almost intuitively, what He would do if He were in our shoes. Those decisions might be simpler than we think.

Just list the changes that would have to take place in your life if you were to follow Christ with sincerity! We would have to change the way we think; for then, we would have the mind of Christ, following Him with all of our heart. We would spend huge chunks of time in His Word so that we would be able to think His thoughts after Him, know and choose His priorities.

Changing What We Say

It would also change what we say; the words that we speak would reflect our Savior. Since He was known for the gracious words that proceeded out of His mouth, we would become like Him, having our speech seasoned with salt. Just think of how different our conversations would be if before we spoke we asked, “What would Jesus say?”

Needless to say, it would also change what we do. As Paul said, “Do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” It would change what we love: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind” (Luke 10:27).

We don’t have time to delineate the changes that would come to our lives if we began to seriously use Christ as our example of commitment and conduct. One thing is certain: it would lead to a life of radical commitment — a commitment of which some of us might be afraid. But we can take comfort in knowing that whatever we do for Christ, it will never cost us as much as what His love for us cost Him. It is unlikely that we will ever have to die for Him as He did for us. Therefore, can we do any less than to ask, “What would Jesus do?”, and then live accordingly?

Changing What We Value

There was a man who had the responsibility of operating a drawbridge that spanned a river. When a steamboat came by he would put the bridge up, then lower it so that a train would cross. One day, he brought his son to work; and together they watched the bridge go up to let a steamer through on the river. When it was time to lower the bridge, his son was nowhere to be found. As the father flipped the switch he heard the cries of his son and realized that the boy was caught in the massive gears that controlled the movement of the bridge. A train was coming, so the father had to make a decision quickly. To save his son he would have to raise the bridge once more; but, if he were to do that, the train would go into the river. With his heart wrenching, he chose to let the bridge descend and crush his boy. A moment later the train whizzed by and the passengers waved at the engineer, totally oblivious to the price he had just paid for their safety.

Even, as committed Christians, we sometimes forget how much our salvation cost God. Because salvation is free, we are tempted to experience its benefits without sharing in Christ’s suffering. Today Christ does not ask us literally to die for Him — though that may be necessary some day. He does, however, ask us to figuratively die to self daily and sometimes more often even than that. He asks us to face every decision with a basic question: “What would Jesus do if He were in my shoes?” When our personal desire varies from that which we know Jesus would do, He asks us to die to ourself and do as He would have us to do. And although we may not always know what He would do, in many instances the matter is clear.

Peter wrote, “Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21). Let’s let that statement ring in our ears, firmly committed to follow Christ as best we can. Would you ask the Lord to show you right now, what Christ would do if he were standing where you stand, sitting where you sit or resting where you rest? May the question, “What would Jesus do?”, be branded on our conscience and may we act accordingly.
Henry F. Lyte wrote these words:

Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee;
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shalt be:
Perish every fond ambition,
All I’ve sought, and hoped and known;
Yet how rich is my condition,
God and heav’n are still my own!
[Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken by Henry F. Lyte]

Chapter 2
Following Christ into the Desert

Have you ever tried to live by asking the question: “What would Jesus do?” That would certainly change many of our priorities, wouldn’t it? If we had that question on our television sets, our checkbooks, in our daytimers and on our refrigerators, we would find that our lives would be dramatically changed.

Central to everything that Christ did was His desert experience. He was well acquainted with the rugged terrain of Judea and the wastelands near the Jordan. There Christ walked, struggled and prayed. In the cities He did his work, but in the desert He received His power. If we are to follow in His steps, we too must become acquainted with the desert.

The Place of Conflict

The desert is a place of conflict. “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil” (Luke 4:1,2). Christ, just having experienced the glory from heaven that came upon Him at His baptism, now is thrust into conflict with His enemy. Satan used the lust of the flesh: “Command that these stones become bread,” (Matthew 4:3) the lust of the eyes: “fall down and worship me” and I will give you the kingdoms of the world, (v. 9) and the pride of life: “throw Yourself down” (v. 6) from the pinnacle of the temple. Standing between Christ and the will of God was a vicious, evil spirit trying to disrupt Christ’s determination to be obedient.

I’m told that in the wild, when two bull moose fight over a herd of cow moose, once a victor has been established, his authority is not challenged again. The bull moose dominates without any resistance. Satan wants to do that too; he wants to fight a decisive battle with us, win, and throw us into such discouragement that we will never take him on again. This does not mean however, that he, himself, is willing to withdraw when he’s been defeated. It says “When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time” (v. 13).

Yes, Satan does not want us to know that he can be defeated. His intention is to find someone to devour, upon whose lives he can leave a permanent scar. But fortunately, there is more to the desert — for there in the desert we can be defeated, but it can also be a place of victory.

A Place Of Communion

In Luke 5:15,16 we read “But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.” And again in Luke 6:12 we read that He spent a whole night in prayer to God.

What was Jesus doing there all night? Often we pray a half hour and cannot imagine what it must be like to spend one full, sweet hour in prayer. In those many hours in the desert, there was two-way communication. He found in the Father a listening ear; Someone with whom He could share His struggles, His needs and His deepest longings.

But there was communication from the Father to the Son too. At Christ’s baptism the Father said, “You are my beloved Son.” In fact, when we read the Gospels we get the impression that Jesus and the Father were communing all the time. Recall that at the grave of Lazarus Christ said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me” (John 11:41).

Yes, communion with the Father is a very sweet thing in the desert. Communication both ways is called communion.

When we pray, we too, must experience communion. Yes, we talk to our heavenly Father, but does He talk to us verbally? The answer is yes. I’m not talking of a mystical, inner voice, but the Word of God which is God’s love letter to us. If in our prayer time we speak only to God and have not heard from Him, we have not really prayed. The saints in the past understood full well that the primary purpose of prayer should be to have our hearts in fellowship with God. That’s why Bernard of Clairveaux could write:

Jesus, Thou Joy of loving hearts,
Thou Fount of life, Thou Light of men,
From the best bliss that earth imparts,
We turn unfilled to Thee again.
[Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts by Bernard of Clairvaux]

A Place of Commitment

We read in Luke 22:40-42, “When He arrived at the place, He said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.’ And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.’”

Why this great struggle in Gethsemane? The sanctified will of Christ shrank from horror at becoming identified with the sins of the world. It wasn’t the physical suffering of the cross, excruciating though that was, that motivated Him to ask to be relieved of duty. It was the spiritual suffering of a sinless Sacrifice in the presence of the holiness of God that He found difficult to bear. He would become identified with all the world’s adultery, genocide, and deceit. The horror of such identification made Him shrink back in trepidation. Willingly, Christ let go of His exalted position with God and assumed a lowly position on earth because He knew it to be the will of the Father. And unto death He would be obedient to the Father’s will.

Thus, Christ voluntarily became a loser in the eyes of men. He didn’t die with dignity, but experienced a wrenching death. Yet notice, “Not My will, but Yours be done.”

That’s what the desert is — a place of conflict, communion and commitment. God leads every one of His children into the desert —Israel, Moses, and the Apostle Paul. The desert is a place of isolation; it’s the place where we see ourselves for what we are, that we might see God for Who He is.

We should remember that conflict always precedes communion with our Heavenly Father. You go into the closet, you shut the door so that you might meet God, and the devil shows up. Serpents that have lain dormant in the bottom of your heart suddenly surface and you find yourself wrestling with the devil. Fellowship with God seems far away as Satan reminds you of your forgiven past, failures, and the apparent futility of committing ourselves to the will of God. Every deception and distraction that we can think of suddenly comes our way.

But in the end, the desert is the place of communion. And once we have been satisfied with God, we can submit to Him more easily. One of the reasons that we struggle with submission is because it is difficult to submit ourselves to a God whom we don’t know.

A Place of Contentment

A Sunday School teacher whom I know gave 20 couples a brief questionnaire to test the level of their satisfaction. They were to indicate how satisfied they were with their marriage, vocation, church, general disposition and spiritual life. To do so they had to circle the answers one to five — one being poor and five being excellent. The teacher said he was shocked to find out how many people readily accept living with a low level of satisfaction, even those living in apparent affluence. In fact, the amount of wealth a person had did not greatly affect his satisfaction quotient in this informal survey.

Perhaps that is as we should expect it to be. Ultimately, we cannot merely be satisfied with our marriages, vocations, and sense of well-being. What we must do is to find our satisfaction in God. He, after all, is the source of our happiness. And those who survive the battles of the desert find God to be eminently satisfying.

George Mueller is famous for establishing orphanages in England and joyfully depending upon God for his financial needs. In 1841, he made a life-changing discovery. He said that the Lord taught him a truth that ultimately changed the course of his life. He writes, “I saw more clearly than ever that the first and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was to have my soul happy in the Lord. The first thing to be concerned about was not how much I might serve the Lord, or how I might glorify the Lord, but how I might get my soul into a happy state and how my inner man might be nourished.”

He goes on to say that it dawned on him that he must begin the day reading and meditating on the Word of God until his soul was satisfied. Because if God was not satisfying to him, how was he to convince others that they should believe on God? Sometimes it took 15 minutes, sometimes a half hour or even an hour, but he stayed there until God had brought joy to his heart. Only then did he really begin to pray. Our first responsibility is to obtain food for our inner man. As the outward man is not fit for work until it has food, so the inner man cannot serve God until it is nourished.

That, after all, is the lesson of the desert. The loneliness, isolation and sense of futility we find there drives us to God, that our source of strength might come from Him.

David begins Psalm 4 by complaining about the taunts of the wicked who reproach him. He is weary of wicked men who aim at deception. He says “Many are saying, ‘Who will show us any good?”’ (v.6) and that is precisely the way we feel today, isn’t it? Where is there any good? And yet David concludes, “You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep, You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety” (vv. 7,8).

David’s point is this: We may seek God in the desert with tears of discouragement, we may find ourselves abandoned by our friends and family, but ultimately our inner man can be nourished by God. Gladness can be poured into our hearts so that we can experience the pure joy of the Lord. The desert can ultimately be a place of delight.
As the hymn writer put it:

Sweet hour of prayer, Sweet hour of prayer,
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known:
In seasons of distress and grief
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By Thy return, sweet hour of prayer.
[Sweet Hour of Prayer by William W. Walford]

Chapter 3
Following Christ into the Community

What happens when Christ visits a community? In Luke 19 we have the story of Christ entering the city of Jericho. His entrance created a stir; people crowded around Him, trying to touch Him and hear His words. As we consider this passage, we will be encouraged to remember that Christ visits us today, too; not in bodily form, but by His Holy Spirit.

At least some of the same phenomena that happened back then, can happen today. On at least three occasions the United States has had a special visit from Christ, if I might be permitted to use such terminology. I’m thinking of the three great revivals — we call them the Great Awakenings. Usually, God waters the earth with a gentle rain, but sometimes He sends a cloudburst. That’s what a revival is — the revitalization of the spiritual life of thousands of Christians simultaneously.

Remember that we have had such a special visit even in the twentieth century. In 1904 the news of the revival in Wales spilled over to the United States, generating much religious interest. For example, in Atlantic City, New Jersey one observer thought that nearly sixty thousand people had professed faith in Christ. In Newark, the secular press dedicated an entire column each day to what was happening in the churches. In Atlanta, one thousand businessmen united for intercession and, on November 2nd, stores and offices were closed at midday for prayer. In Louisville, Kentucky one man wrote, “The whole city is breathing a spiritual atmosphere — everywhere in shops and stores, in the mill and on the street, salvation is the sole topic of conversation.”

But, perhaps the most striking example of revival occurred in Denver in 1905. On January 20th there was a day of prayer in the city, and by 10:00 in the morning churches were filled; by 11:30 almost all the stores were closed so people could pray; and at noon four theaters had been designated by the mayor, and were filled for prayer. In Portland, one writer says, “For three hours a day business was practically suspended; and from the crowds in the great department stores to the humblest clerk, from bank presidents to boot blacks, all abandoned money making for soul saving.”

That’s what happens when Christ comes to town! When God works mightily, people know about it. Christ’s visit to Jericho will serve as a backdrop to revival; it reminds us of what happens when Christ visits a community. We will then make some parallels to those times of refreshing when Christ walks among His people.

There is Curiosity

When Christ entered Jericho, people lined the streets to see the “parade.” The crowd was so great that Zaccheus (a man of small stature ) could not even see Him! Zaccheus was the “chief tax collector” (Luke 19:2).

But among the crowds, there are individuals — those who sincerely desire to meet the living God. Zaccheus was such a person. He was “a chief tax collector” (Luke 19:2). That means he promised Rome a certain amount of money for the privilege of collecting taxes. But tax collectors were notoriously evil — they were extortionists who levied as much tax as the traffic would bear. The country was divided into three districts; Jericho was one of them. As trade moved through the city, Zaccheus determined the amount of tax to be levied. Be assured, he was hated.

But when Christ came to town we read, “so he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way” (Luke 19:4). It is safe to say that Christ generated excitement.

When God visits a nation with special blessing, when people become aware that God is working in their communities, the curiosity of the multitudes is aroused. Even notorious sinners want to see what God is doing! They are skeptical, but just possibly God might be at work!

Keep in mind that many people no longer believe that God is doing anything in this world. They find it difficult to trust in God. Just a few years ago a man walked into a church where testimonies were being given — reports of answers to prayer and changed lives. This insurance executive was astounded and said, “I don’t know what you folks have, but I want it...” He went on to say that he was shocked to hear people talking about what Christ had done because, in his words, “I didn’t know that Christ had done anything in the last one hundred years.”

So it is. When Christ comes to town, faith is revived, and the curious begin to investigate His power. Even hardened tax collectors wonder what all the fuss is about.

There is Confrontation

Zaccheus, sitting up in the tree, hoped that Christ’s eyes and his would meet as Jesus walked through the crowd. He could not have expected much more. But to his surprise, Christ initiated direct contact, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (Luke 19:5). Christ always takes the initiative as we come to Him. Interestingly, among the hundreds of people, Zaccheus is the one who was chosen. Perhaps he had, as the ancients used to say, an “awakened conscience.” That is, Zaccheus had a hunger for Christ and the Truth.

Zaccheus had not planned this special meeting. But now, with Christ in his home, he freely shared with Him. Yes, there are crowds, but there are still individuals. A question for us is: do we want to meet God personally? The obvious answer is “yes,” but keep in mind that such a confrontation can often be painful. We can’t see God without seeing our sin.

In the early 1970’s, a revival swept through many churches in Western Canada. When I went to Regina, Saskatchewan to observe it firsthand, a man whom I knew hosted me in his home and told me his story. He was fervently in love with Christ; he looked me in the eye and asked, “Have you ever taken credit for something God has done through you?” I admitted I had. He went on, “Don’t you realize that God can never use you as He would like to until you take care of pride!” Confrontation. Confession. Revival is like Christ coming to your church. Either you will run or repent!
Someone has defined revival as “God’s finger pointed at you!”

There is Confession

We wish we could be privy to the conversation that took place in Zaccheus’ house that day. I suspect that Christ talked to this tax-collector about his lostness and his need for confession of his sinfulness before God so that he could receive a transformation of character; Zaccheus needed to be saved. We know Christ spoke this way because in verse 10 we read, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

When Christ comes to a community, everyone is affected. Believers are restored to their first love, and sinners are converted. Every city has those in whose hearts God is working. They might not be looking for God, but God seeks them out. Zaccheus was looking for Christ only because God had already awakened his heart. When Christ comes we always hear the cry of new born babies, spiritually speaking, in the churches of the land.

This transformation immediately affected Zaccheus’ relationships with others. He said, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” One of the sure signs of revival is restoration. Zaccheus was required by law to return what he had stolen plus one-fifth of the amount (Leviticus 6:1-5). But he goes beyond that and is willing to make restitution at great sacrifice.

When God sends a revival, it usually is reported in the secular press because of the number of people who are trying to make restoration for previous wrongs. Stores report individuals returning goods that were stolen years ago; grocery stores are besieged with money because of items that have been taken.

In Canada, a woman who had not paid for a ninety-eight cent bag of potatoes (it was left on the bottom of the shopping cart and not seen by the cashier) went to the manager of the store several weeks later to make things right. He responded, “Either it is my lucky day, or something is happening in this town, because you are the second person that has come to me today.” She assured him that something was, indeed, happening in that town. Customs agents reported people coming to confess that they had lied about goods that had been taken between Canada and the United States. Many years ago, a woman had won money in an essay contest, however, someone other than she, had written her winning entry. Now, the organization that had sponsored the contest was no longer in existence, so she paid the money back to the church. This phenomena is referred to as “conscience money.”

Yes, when Christ comes to town, people know about it. Children are reconciled to their parents; long-standing feuds are ended, thieves restore what they have stolen, and the Word of God brings much joy. Just ask Zaccheus.

There is Conversion

Christ said to Zaccheus, “Today salvation has come to this house.” Yes, when God comes to town, people are converted. We’ve already quoted Christ’s words, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10). One of the indisputable marks of a spiritual awakening is the desire of people to share the good news of the Gospel. Tongues that have been silent about Christ are made alive to His grace and power; people who, previously, would not have shared the Gospel, either because of fear or unbelief, now feel free to tell others about Christ.

Think of the story Zaccheus had to tell. I like to think that he became an evangelist, sharing with everyone the forgiveness that he, himself, had experienced! Think of the witness he could have been to all those who paid taxes! Only in heaven we will discover the works that God did through him.

What would happen if we were serious about following Christ? First, we would be anxious to be completely right before God and man. Second, we would stand up for Christ in our schools, court houses, businesses and homes. Like Zaccheus, we would let the word get out that we had met a Redeemer who had changed our hearts.

Billy Sunday wrote, “One spark of fire can do more to prove the power of gunpowder than a whole library written on the subject.”

So it is. If you wish to see a spiritual awakening in your community, begin where you are — in your home. Make sure that you are fully right with those around you; and then begin to pray that the blessed Holy Spirit would revive your heart and the hearts of those whom you know. Ask yourself often “What would Jesus do?” It is true that we cannot force God’s hand to bring us revival. But it is also true that we can set the sails of the ship in the direction that the wind is blowing.

There is a new wind blowing, but it’s up to us to set the sail. God may come to your town, and want to use you. He begins with the best Christians he has, revives them and sets them on fire so that they can begin fires elsewhere.
When Christ came to Jericho, the town was never the same again. And now, God’s finger is pointed at you!

Chapter 4
Seeking the Lost

What is it that you are seeking? What is the all-consuming passion of your life? The answer you give to that question tells much about your heart. For there is a principle that all of us live by: We seek whatever we highly value. For some it may be money, companionship, or success. But if you had asked Jesus what He was seeking, He would have answered, “the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Yes, there are two goals that you and I should passionately seek — one is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and the other is to love our neighbor, as we do ourselves (Luke 10:27). Fulfilling this second goal means that we, like Christ, will be seekers of men.

Luke 15 opens with Christ receiving criticism from the Pharisees for eating with tax collectors and sinners. In ancient times, to eat together signified friendship. And so the self-righteous Pharisees were angry that Christ would count such wicked people within His circle of friends. In order to defend Himself, Christ told a series of three parables. Each talks about someone or something that was lost and an owner that pursued its safe return.

If you have a hundred sheep, Christ says, and one of them is lost, you will most certainly leave the ninety and nine and go to find the one that is lost. And when the shepherd does this, Christ says, “he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!”’ (vv. 5,6).

The second parable is that of a woman who has ten silver coins but loses one. When she finds it, she invites her friends and says, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!” (v.9). The third parable is that of the forgiving father who has a prodigal son. Eventually, the boy returns from the far country and the father rejoices.

Christ’s point is this: If a shepherd values a sheep, and if a woman values a coin, why do you think it’s strange that the Son of Man values lost men? If we should pursue that which is most valuable, why should we not pursue lost men and women? People are more valuable than sheep and coins for a number of reasons. First, by virtue of creation —“created in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27). Also, because of duration — every human being will be alive somewhere a hundred billion years from now (John 6:51). People are also of more value because of donation — they can bring glory to God (John 17:10)

But if you still doubt the value of one single person, surely salvation should convince you otherwise. Because if the value of an object is dependent upon the price paid for it, we certainly are valuable. For we have not been redeemed with corruptible things such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. Christ would not have died for sheep and coins, but He did die for lost men and women.

In order to illustrate the contrast between the things of this world and one’s soul, Christ asked this question, “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”

Love Leads to Seeking

We all know how valuable some individuals are to us — our marriage partner, our children, our friends. But let’s remember that they are not of more value than other people in the world, many of whom are starving to death physically, and are dying without a knowledge of Christ. If we love them, we will seek them for the Kingdom.
If God were to say to one of the angels, “Please go down to earth and live for 50 years as a human being because there is one boy growing up who needs to know about Christ and you will have the privilege of telling Him the Gospel,” the angel would be excited about the opportunity! For angels understand much better than we the value God places on one person.

C.S. Lewis said that when we speak to anyone, we should look beyond what we see to eternity. There, we will see this person either ablaze in radiant glory or living in everlasting horror. Each person is important. And Christ’s point in telling these parables is to remind the Pharisees that they should repent of their bigotry and understand God’s love for the lost.

Furthermore, Christ taught that people need to be sought. One point made in these parables is that the valuables cannot find themselves. To be lost is to be separated from the owner. Sheep are notoriously independent and are quick to leave the flock. Someone gave Little Bo-Peep bad advice. It is not true that if you “leave them alone, they’ll come home, wagging their tails behind them!” No, rather, “All we like sheep have gone astray and have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6).

A coin can’t pick itself up and roll toward us. It is not only lost, but hopelessly lost. And the son who was in the far country couldn’t find his way home either — except that he already knew where home was because he had lived with the father. But the Bible teaches elsewhere that God is the One Who prompts people to come from the far country to experience the warmth of the Father’s house.

Catch something of the irony of these parables. Jesus used three owners that were despised by the Pharisees. Pharisees despised shepherds, women and a father who would forgive his son. They believed that no father should forgive a son who had disgraced the family name. Yet Christ is saying that God is like a shepherd, like a woman and like a forgiving father.

Yes, men and women are lost and cannot find themselves. Joe Stowell, President of the Moody Bible Institute, tells the story of how he, his wife, and grandparents were shopping in the Woodfield Mall near Chicago when suddenly their small son was discovered missing. Their hearts sank with fear, having heard stories of children kidnapped from shopping malls. The four of them fanned out in different directions and soon the boy was found, standing with his hands behind his back looking at candy through the glass. He did not know the dangers all about him nor even that he was lost!

And this explains why we must seek lost men and women — most of them do not realize that they are lost. They are separated from their owner, but do not know it. For every person who voluntarily comes to us saying, “I want to be saved and in fellowship with God,” there are 100 who will never come to Christ unless we personally seek them.
By the way, seekers are leavers. In each instance, the owner had to leave the others to find the one that was lost. You don’t find a lost sheep among the ninety and nine that have already been found. In the same way, we must be willing to leave Christian groups to go where the lost sinners are, to find them.

I remember reading a story of a man who was crouched on the ground under a streetlight. A friend stopped by to ask what was wrong and he said, “I lost a ring.” The friend asked, “Where exactly did you lose it?” And the man answered, “About a half a block up the street.” “Why then are you looking for it here?” The man replied, “Because there is no street lamp up there.”

Similarly, we feel much more comfortable where the light is. So we go seeking for men in places that they could never possibly be. Unless we are willing to leave the place of the light, and sometimes even go to places of darkness, we will never find them. People need seeking.

Seeking Leads to Finding

Fortunately, seeking leads to finding. If lostness means that a person or thing is separated from its owner, being found means reconciliation. Adam in the Garden of Eden was hiding from God because of guilt and fear. He was not expecting God to find him, but God found him nonetheless. And through God’s gracious provision, Adam and Eve were reconciled to God.

So it is today: No one is running in God’s direction, but God comes seeking sinners. And what does it mean to be found? First of all, there is a change of mind. The unsaved hate the light, and do not come to it lest they be reproved. So God must work in the life of individuals to get them to love the light that they might be able to respond to it. Their opinion of Christ changes. He is no longer simply a person who is an interesting historical figure, or even the Son of God. Suddenly, Christ becomes for them a personal Savior whom they embrace as their own.

Yes, there is a change of mind, but there is also a change of heart. After reconciliation, there is a change of affections. “We love, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). In other words, people now find that they love Christ and His word.

Recently I heard of a man who supposedly received Christ as Savior, but when his wife told the pastor about it, the man became angry not wanting anyone to know about it. That certainly is not a good barometer of the man’s faith in Christ! We may sincerely question whether such a person has savingly believed. To be found means that the owner and the one who is lost are brought together again.

Finding Leads to Rejoicing

Notice, in each instance we have a joyous celebration. The shepherd invites his friends for a time of joy; the woman who finds the coin does the same. And Christ adds, “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7). I find it interesting that the joy takes place not only on earth, but also in heaven, not merely among men, but also among the angels. Every time a sinner is reconciled there is a cosmic celebration from one end of heaven to the other. Joy, like incense, cannot be confined to a single room. The joy of reconciliation permeates and engulfs others.

In the story of the prodigal son, the elder brother who stayed home represents the Pharisees. He should have been glad that his younger brother had returned, but instead he became angry in spite of his father’s entreaties. The elder brother blamed his dad for being kinder to the wayward son than he had been to him, the faithful one. But the father corrected such an attitude, “Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to be celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found” (Luke 15:31-32).

It was right that they celebrate. The boy was back! If we can rejoice over a lost wallet, or a lost sheep, why do we find it difficult to rejoice when lost men are found?

If we are followers of Christ, we will seek what He seeks; we will value what He values. We will become seekers of men.

Every Christian should be seeking at least one person, or maybe two or three. We can seek by building friendships, by giving a friend a book to read, by showing love and service. We can seek by taking people out to lunch and explaining to them what Christ has done in our own lives. We can seek through prayer, through using opportunities as God brings them to us. To be a follower of Christ is to be a seeker of men.

Chapter 5
Changing Our Community

In ancient times there was a philosophical view called Dualism. It taught that there are two forces that are seeking to extinguish one another. One is evil, and the other good. The problem with Dualism is that there is no certainty that the good will win out over evil. After all, if you look at the world and see all the evil that is in it, it does not seem as if good is prevailing.

The Bible presents a form of Dualism as well. But the difference is that we are not left in any doubt as to what the outcome will be. Though for now evil seems to be winning, in the end we can be assured that God’s purposes will be accomplished. The Bible leaves no doubt as to how the battle will end.

Must I take out time to list some of the manifestations of the kingdom of evil? There is alcoholism, child abuse, immorality, and abortion. And, these sins are but the tip of the iceberg. Behind these evils there is a wicked spirit who stands in total opposition to God.

We are discussing the question: What would Jesus do? What impact would we have in society if we represented Him in the world. In Matthew 5 Christ said to His disciples, “You are the salt of the earth ... you are the light of the world.” In the Greek text, the emphasis could be translated this way, “You and you alone are the salt of the earth ... you and you alone are the light of the world.” Here Christ defines the function of his followers in society. We stand in opposition to the darkness and the decay that is around us.

The Salt of the Earth

Let’s consider these two metaphors. The first is salt. In ancient times salt was considered so valuable that even today we still have the expression “He’s not worth his salt.” Christ is assuming that the world is in a state of decay, and we are the preservative to keep it from total decadence. This decay is brought on by spiritual death, as men and women are born in sin and live in it. Bad as things are, they’d be far worse if the believing church was not present in the world. Believers alone keep the world from total moral collapse.

One day I stood by the Grand Coulee Dam and was impressed with the volume of water that went over it. Some water even went around it. The church is like that dam that holds back flood tides of wickedness. But once the dam is gone, the water floods the entire landscape. We are the antibiotic keeping the infection from spreading.

Salt also adds flavor. You’ve had the experience of buying a hamburger, some fries, and a diet coke (the diet coke is to make up for the fries). Yet, if those fries do not have salt, they become tasteless. We are here to make life bearable for people, to add sunshine in places of darkness.

Salt also stimulates thirst. You’ve heard the expression, “You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” That may be true, but you can put salt in his oats. And we should make Jesus Christ attractive to all those who are around us. When He was here on earth, He attracted all kinds of people around Him. We should do the same. In the midst of a crisis, people should ask about our serenity and peace.

In Jeremiah 17, there is a reference to a tree that is able to bear fruit even in an arid desert. It does so because its roots go all the way to a stream that is unseen by the casual observer. In the same way, we have within us an inner supply of strength. We can call upon the Lord, Who lives within us, to help us. And this makes us attractive to an anxious, cynical world.

The Light of the World

Second, Christ said we are the light of the world. This is an important statement about the condition of the world. Christ describes the world as lying in great darkness ... and darkness leads to deception. When in the dark, you cannot tell a piece of gold from a stone, you cannot distinguish friend from foe.

As believers, our light exposes sin. Light gives people a true picture of themselves. Jesus said that men and women hate the light, and do not come to it lest their deeds should be exposed, “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be made manifested as having been wrought in God.” (John 3:21)

Everyone of us is like the moon with a dark side to our character. Just imagine having all of the thoughts and the intents of our heart made public to everyone! And yet, that part of us that no one ever sees is the part that is most important to God. “For as he thinks within himself, so he is” (Proverbs 23:7). What a man is within himself, in his heart, in the presence of God, is all that he is, and nothing more.

But Christ’s point is this: Men and women will never come to saving faith unless they understand something about their true condition. As long as they do not realize that they are walking in darkness, they will see no need to change the direction of their lives. But you and I expose sin for what it is; we can only do that as we reflect Christ, the true Light.

Light also guides us. When a ship comes into the harbor, it takes special note of the lighthouses. An airplane lands on a lighted runway. Cars drive on lighted highways. The world today does not know which way to turn. We read in Proverbs, “The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble” (Proverbs 4:19) Yes, people are tripping up in life and not knowing why.

Christ said, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Perhaps you have heard the illustration of the railway man who was dozing in his booth when a train came. He had the responsibility of making sure the trains were synchronized in such a way that there would not be a crash. When he saw the situation, he waved his lantern frantically, but one train collided into another and the conductor was killed. When the man was taken to court, he testified that indeed he had waved his lantern and the jury believed him for he spoke with great sincerity. But later, he whispered to his attorney, “I’m sure glad the judge didn’t ask me whether my lantern was lit!”

In the same way, as believers, we need to make sure that our lanterns are lit. The lives of thousands depend upon clear signals in a world of darkness. Do you realize what Christ is saying in Matthew 5? He taught that His followers stood between Satan and the total demonization of the world. Or to put it differently, the world would come under the complete judgment of God were it not for the fact that there remains some salt and light. Without Christians, evil would totally capture society. Yes, the world has no idea how much it owes the church.

Do you think that such a statement is too strong? I think not. Recall Abraham standing before the Lord on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah. He began by asking the Lord to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if there were 50 righteous in the city. Later he realized that the number was too high, so he went down to forty-five, forty, thirty, twenty, and then ten. When Abraham left that day, he thought for sure that God would not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because he believed that there were at least ten righteous in the city. But he was wrong. There were only four. But note well, God had to take those four out of Sodom and Gomorrah before His judgment could consume the wicked city.

When the church is finally taken out of the world at the rapture, the man of sin (the Antichrist) will be revealed. The church alone restrains the flood of wickedness that will come upon the world.

Concluding Lessons

There are two conclusions we must draw from this passage. First, it is important that we be in contact with the world. The salt must get out of the shaker and be in contact with decaying meat. Perhaps only one pound of salt is needed to keep 50 pounds of meat from decay. Just a few believers are enough to restrain wickedness in any town or any community.

Here in the city of Chicago we have huge stockpiles of salt to be used in the winter when snow comes to our expressways. But the salt is of no value unless it is spread on the streets during a snow storm. When we gather together as a church, we are like one heap of salt. But we do no good in the world until God sprinkles us from one part of the city to another.

Every single believer is a threat to Satan. If you are the only Christian in your apartment building, Satan wants to discourage you because he knows that your presence restrains wickedness. Christians in the school system, Christians in government, Christians in the media, Christians in the arts — these and countless other opportunities are available so that we can have a positive influence in the world and keep society from total moral collapse. Our first line of defense is always to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In a third world country the people came to church with lanterns in the evening. When they gathered in the church building, it was well lit. And then as they left, they took their lanterns back home with them along the trails and hills. This is a good picture of the church. We gather together and in our presence there is much salt and much light. But when we disperse, we take salt and light with us wherever we go.

What then is the purpose of the church? We must train believers to be salt and light. Jesus said that if the salt contains impurities, it loses its ability to keep society from decay. If our lamps are not lit there is darkness. So here we come to repent of our sins, to take care of the impurities. We come to learn in order to replenish the oil in our lamps and trim our wicks so that we can burn brightly in the world.

Finally, we must be in contact with Christ who is our resource. There are two ways that we can commit the sin of unbelief: One is to minimize the power of God; the other is to magnify the power of the devil. In our society it’s easy to be discouraged. And this unbelief actually contributes to the demoralization of society. Only when we recognize that Christ is stronger than evil are we going to walk with confidence while in this sinful world. Remember that no matter how dark a cave might be, that darkness cannot extinguish the light of a single candle. That’s what Christ meant when He said, “The light shines in darkness and the darkness cannot overtake it.”

God does not expect light from the moon. All that the moon must do is to stand in the direction of the sunlight and thus reflect the light of the sun upon the earth. That’s why we need never be discouraged if we feel inadequate. God knows how inadequate we are. And yet, Christ through us can preserve society from decay. “Ye and ye alone are the salt of the earth... ye and ye alone are the light of the world.”

Chapter 6
Touching the Untouchable

What would change in our lives if we asked: “What would Jesus do?” There are many ways in which we cannot follow Christ, but in principle we can follow Him as He becomes involved with human need. One of the best ways for us to know whether we are following Christ is to ask whether we have had to make hard choices in His favor. When Abraham told God that he loved Him, God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice Isaac. That ultimately is the true nature of love; love makes sacrifices.

In Mark 1, Christ encountered a leper. It’s difficult for us to grasp the loathsomeness of leprosy in ancient times. The victim would experience lethargy and pain; after that, discolored patches would appear over his body. Then nodules (pink and brown) would ulcerate. These open sores would emit a foul discharge. The voice would become hoarse, the breath wheezing. Soon the victim’s head would become so contorted that he scarcely looked human. Finally, there was a loss of sensation because the nerve trunks became affected. The muscles wasted away, and eventually the fingers and the toes would fall off. Most people lived an average of 9 years after contracting the disease. Someone has rightly observed that leprosy made a human being a hideous wreck.

And what was the response of the people? In keeping with the Old Testament law, lepers were to be kept outside the camp. In Leviticus 13:45,46 we read, “As for the leper who has the infection, his clothes shall be torn, and the hair of his head shall be uncovered, and he shall cover his mustache and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ He shall remain unclean all the days during which he has the infection; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.”

Lepers were shunned and did not even have the right to speak to other human beings. They cried “Unclean! Unclean!” so that other people would not get near them. They always had to stand at a distance, and eventually die in their aloneness. During the middle ages, a leper was brought into the church and the priest read the burial rights to him. Then a black garment was put upon him and he was avoided like the plague. He was considered dead, though yet alive.

The Leper’s Cry

But let’s consider this leper. He says to Christ, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean” (Matthew 8:2). This was a cry of desperation. If Christ couldn’t help him, who could? If Christ, turned His back upon this man, he would lose hope forever. This was his only chance.

It was also a cry of submission and faith. Though the leper knew that Christ had the ability to cure him, he left the decision with our Lord. “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Without any promises to go on, he threw himself upon the mercy of God. Behind this cry of agony is not only a desire for healing but a cry for significance — he wants to know whether he matters in the impersonal world in which he lived, whether his condition matters to Christ.

The Scripture says Christ had compassion on him. He doesn’t just show sympathy; He does two things that are absolutely essential for emotional and spiritual balance. The Scripture says “He touched him” (v. 3). That certainly startled everyone. In the Gospel of Luke we read this leper had sores over his whole body (Luke 5:12). You simply did not touch such a person. Christ could have healed him without that loving touch, but the Savior wanted to show His identification with human need and pain.

The Leper Touched

Today there are many people who have never known a meaningful loving touch. You’ve heard the report about babies who are born in a hospital; their needs are taken care of, but unless they are cuddled and held they will shrivel up emotionally and some will even die. In fact, researchers are finding that when they videotape how a mother takes care of her baby, it is almost possible to predict whether that child will grow up with or without emotional trauma.

We must remember that the grace of God is able to intervene and change the failures of parents. But without such intervention, children who are unloved, untouched, and rejected as a nuisance, almost surely, will grow up being unable to deal with the emotional demands of life.

In the Old Testament, fathers bestowed a blessing upon their children with a loving touch and a tender word. Researchers are discovering that there are physiological benefits to meaningful touch. For example, it increases the hemoglobin of the body; the tissues receive more oxygen. In fact, a hug can be so invigorating that it lowers one’s blood pressure. A UCLA study estimated that if married couples were to give one another 8 to 10 meaningful touches a day, they may live up to 2 years longer.

But consider also the spiritual and emotional benefits of a loving touch. Marilyn Monroe, famous for her beauty, was an illegitimate child who grew up in a series of foster homes. One day a news reporter asked her whether she ever felt loved when she was growing up. She thought for a moment and then replied, “Yes, once. When I was perhaps seven or eight, I was with a woman who was putting on her make-up and she was in a good mood. When I walked by she playfully took the rouge puff and patted my cheeks — for that one moment I felt loved.”

Just think of it! Here is a woman thinking back to one instance when she felt loved. It was so meaningful that years later it brought tears to her eyes. Marilyn Monroe became a promiscuous woman, possibly because she was looking for the love she did not have as a child. Many women today admit that they become promiscuous because it is the price that must be paid to be loved and to be held.

Recently, a man told me he was brought up in an alcoholic home. Since both of his parents were bound to the bottle, he was never touched, held nor loved. A passage of Scripture that means much to him is found in Psalm 139, where we read that God “leads us by his hand” and “the Lord fashions us with his hand.” “At least,” he says, “I’m glad to know that God touched me even though my parents did not.” Yes, it is possible to be “hugged into shape.”

Within the church today there are many people who did not receive a tender touch when they were growing up. We have a responsibility as the body of Christ to fulfill this need. I realize, of course, that it may be risky to suggest a physical touch lest it become an occasion for a sensual touch. But there is such a thing as a holy hug, as well as an unholy hug. The way you tell the difference is whether the hug increases your blood pressure or lowers it!

Christ’s Gracious Words

Next, Christ spoke the words, “I am willing; be cleansed.” You can be sure that the leper never forgot the gracious words that proceeded from the mouth of our Lord. And if you never received words of love and encouragement when you were growing up, you will probably either become a workaholic (still trying to get people’s attention so that they may speak well of you), or you may sink into withdrawal and depression. There are children whose whole lives have become ensnared and emotionally twisted because they have never had affirmation and love.

As a pastor I have frequently counseled those who have had bitter experiences in life. Many have fallen into sexual sin, and though they have confessed these sins they still feel guilty about them. Often, as a representative of Jesus Christ, I have said, “You have been cleansed, go your way.” There are people who need to know that they are forgiven.
Christ touched the untouchable! And He invites us to do it in His stead!

Dorie Van Stone was badly abused as a child. Marvelously brought to Christ, she now lives a new life dedicated to helping others who are going through her trials. One day she received this note left in her hotel room by a woman survivor of child-abuse,

“I wanted to isolate you all to myself, to grab you and not let anyone else near you — you knew me — you spoke my words, many of your lonely moments were mine. The others couldn’t possibly understand — they have always been loved — they always have been accepted and understood — they always have had someone they belonged to — you and I never did. But once we knew Christ loved us, no one could ever take Him Away! They could never, never touch our soul again. He had us for eternity. It’s another tune that we dance to, a different drum... We know the meaning of the groanings and moanings of our soul, the times when voices and words do not exist. Yet Christ is our voice to God, our interpreter, our “healing balm.”

Who are the untouchables of today? They may not appear untouchable for they may be very attractive. I’m speaking about people who feel as if they are untouchable, those who are living in an emotional wasteland.

Our Responsibility

First there are those who were molested as children. They feel unclean, they do not like to be touched and they live with shame. One woman told me she is angry because she herself is a victim of abuse. “But where are the abusers?” she asks. Let me say to anyone who may be reading this, if you are an abuser, in the name of Christ I appeal to you to stop!

Then there are divorced people. Sometimes we are uncomfortable with them, because we know that someone is always guilty when a divorce takes place. But I’ve met a lot of innocent people out there who have been victims of bad marriages. I recall one woman who said that the Sunday after her divorce was finalized she came into church and felt as if she had a big “D” branded on her forehead. Divorced — Unclean! Many of these people, particularly single parents, desperately need the love and the support of the church. Some of our fathers should become surrogate fathers for children who do not have a father.

And what about the disease AIDS? There are many in our society who have this horrid disease and will shortly die. Yes, they may have contracted it through homosexuality, but then again there are many innocent victims who have the disease. Some who were practicing homosexuals have come to know Christ as Savior, and yet they still have the disease.

Dorie Van Stone told the story of a young man who just sat and stared after one of her seminars. When everyone else had left, he came up and said, “Dorie, I was thrown out on the street at the age of 9, my mother did not want me. I became a homosexual and contracted AIDS. A year ago, I became a Christian. Dorie, please tell me ... please tell me that I am forgiven! Tell me that I am forgiven!” She showed the young man passages of Scripture that assured him that he had been cleansed by Christ. And then she took him in her arms and held him as she would her own son. As his tears fell onto her sweater he said, “Dorie, nobody touches me ... some of my friends even think they could get AIDS through my tears.”

That’s what Christ would have done. This is my challenge to you: Pray that God will give you someone with whom you can be sacrificially involved ... someone who can never repay you, someone who may not have a family or who is passing through a difficult trial. Yes, even someone who may be a bother. In the name of Christ, let us reach out and touch them and thus represent our Lord and Savior on earth.

Chapter 7
The Power of a United Witness

We can easily tell whether we are following Christ by answering two basic questions. (1) Have we recently made some sacrificial choices in His behalf? And, (2) Are we spending much time in His presence? We are answering the question: What would Jesus do?

In Luke chapter 10 Christ sends out 70 disciples to represent Him among the cities of Judea. He knew that to go out one by one could be very discouraging, so He instituted a basic principle of itinerant witness—going in twos. We are much stronger when we go out two by two. We can do some things together that we cannot do separately.

Christ called these disciples to go and make other people uncomfortable. We don’t like to do that, do we? We ourselves are put off by false cults that may try to get our attention in an airport. Yet, that is precisely the kind of “uncomfortableness” Christ might be asking us to generate as we represent Him in this world.

Have you ever felt inadequate to be Christ’s representative? I’m sure we all have. But in Luke chapter 10 we have five resources that God gives to those whom He sends out — resources that enable us to do everything that He commands and expects.

If we are serious about following Christ, we must represent Him, just as His disciples did. And He gives us the resources to do so.

We are Commissioned

“Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him” (Luke 10:1). Yes, the decision to represent Christ is not made by us but by Christ Himself. “As the Father has sent Me, so I also send you” (John 20:21). We cannot commission ourselves. Several years ago a man carrying a crown and a folding chair sat on the steps of our nation’s capitol and crowned himself king of the United States, but no one except the curious paid much attention. No, we cannot commission ourselves, but think of the awesome privilege of being commissioned by God!

This means that we serve to please Christ, the One who has called us to be a soldier and a witness. We go forth with a spirit of dependency, knowing that we ourselves do not have the resources to adequately represent Him. If one of my daughters goes to the store on her own initiative, she must find the money to buy the groceries she chooses. But if I send her, I must give her money to do what I have asked. In the same way, Christ not only asks us to represent Him, but gives us the resources we need to do a competent job.

We are Protected

“Go, behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves” (Luke 10:3). When an ambassador goes to another country, he cannot be harmed without it becoming an act of war. In fact, American embassies are always on American soil, regardless of the country in which they may be located. In the same way, as Christ’s ambassadors, we have the privilege of being His property; whoever touches one of us, touches the King Himself.

When Christ said that we are “as lambs in the midst of wolves,” I’m sure He was referring to satanic activity. Satan likes to fight and discourage God’s people and of course we are defenseless against him except for one fact: We stand in the power of Christ. That means that we come with the truth of God, with the breastplate of righteousness. Find anyone who is addicted to sin, and you will see an individual who is filled with lies — either these lies exist in his own mind, or else he practices falsehoods. Satan is a liar, and we can only combat him with Truth.

We are also assured that the Spirit of God is with us (John 16:7). If it were not for God’s protection, we would be destroyed. Satan is indeed the destroyer — find any person who is demonically controlled, and I will show you someone who is contemplating suicide or has a death wish.

Let’s return to the analogy that Christ gave: We are “as sheep in the midst of wolves.” Because sheep are so defenseless, their only hope is to stay close to the shepherd. For if they stay close to the shepherd, the wolves must keep their distance. In the same way, the closer we are to Christ, the less likely that we will be ravaged by Satan, who would want to destroy us.

Are you living with some hidden fears today? You may be looking at the wolves, and that indeed will incite fear. But gaze at the shepherd, and spend time in His presence and everything will be all right. He will never send you where He cannot keep you.

We are Instructed

In our witness for Christ, we are first commissioned, protected, and then instructed. Christ gave these disciples specific commands. “Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him; but if not, it will return to you” (Luke 10:4-6).

Although the specific instructions that Christ gave no longer apply to us, the fact is that Christ is asking His disciples to be vulnerable. They must, humanly speaking, take a “risk” in representing Jesus Christ. They have to step out in faith, knowing that He will provide every step along the way.

Christ also sends them forth with sensitivity. He is saying, in effect, don’t be discouraged if some people do not receive you. You must look for “a man of peace.” This is a person in whose heart God has already been working. Let’s remember in our individual witness that there are levels of openness. There are some people who are totally turned off to the truth of God; they do not want to hear a single word about Christ. Those are people whom we must simply love with our actions if not with our words. But then there are others, such as Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened (Acts 16:14).

These are people who already have a God-given bent toward the Truth. When we find a person like that, it is our responsibility to do all that we possibly can to give them more Truth. If we spend our time with those who are open (rather than with those who are closed spiritually), we will be much more productive.

We are Empowered

Christ says, “And heal those in it [the city] and say to them ‘The kingdom of God has come near you,’” and again Christ said, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you’” (Luke 10:19) Today, Christ does not always heal people who are physically sick. Indeed, Christ Himself did not heal all those whom He could have healed when He was here on earth. He does not always promise deliverance from physical illness, but He does promise deliverance from sin.

When He speaks about giving us authority over scorpions and serpents, I interpret this to be another reference to Satan. After all, he is represented as a serpent and comes to us with the intention of poisoning us, spiritually speaking. By and large, the church today is unsure of its spiritual authority. The erosion of our authority constitutes one of the reasons for our many weaknesses.

In the New Testament Peter said to a crippled man near the temple, “I do not posses silver and gold, but what I do I have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene — walk!” (Acts 3:6). Eleven hundred years later as Thomas Aquinas, the great theologian, was visiting Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, he was shown the wealth of the church by one of the reigning popes. The story goes that he turned to Aquinas and said, “We cannot say as did the first pope, silver and gold have I none.” And Aquinas is said to have answered, “Yes, but neither can you say, rise, take up your bed and walk!”

It is interesting to notice that Christ gave these disciples authority over wicked spirits (Luke 10:19), yet sometimes they could not cast out the demons (9:40). Why? The disciples had to learn that they could not take their authority for granted. Some do not come out except through prayer and fasting.

We are Secure

In this instance the seventy returned with joy because the demons were subject to them. Indeed, Christ says, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning” (Luke 10:18) But then our Lord adds this admonition, “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven” (Luke 10:18,20).

Just think of it — our names are written in heaven. Our names are not in the Encyclopedia Britannica; our names are not in the local newspaper. And yet, our names are written in heaven!

When I was at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. several years ago, I saw many people coming and trying to find the names of their loved ones on that impressive black wall. As a matter of fact, they have special guards stationed to help people find the name of their friend or relative. And when the name is found, those who are present frequently run their fingers over the engraving and break out in tears. It would be too bad indeed to have omitted one of the fallen soldiers from Vietnam and for his relatives to have discovered that his name was not included.

Now think of Heaven: A whole host of names—thousands, no, millions and there is your name! Yes, it is spelled correctly, and you will not be misidentified!

Our names are not only important to God, they are also important to angels and demons. In Acts 19, the seven sons of Sceva thought that they could cast out demons in the name of Christ just as Paul was doing. They used the name of Christ as a good luck charm. But the evil spirit sensed the deception and said, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” (v.15). In fact, this spirit then tore the clothes from the men who tried to use the name of Christ as a fetish.

The bottom line is this: We can exercise power in the name of Christ only when we ourselves are under Christ’s authority. Yes, our authority is dependent on whether we first, are under Christ’s authority.

This passage ends with the disciples giving an account to Christ for how they spent their time and energy. Some day we will stand before God and let Him know how we used the resources that He committed to us. We will explain to Him how the money was spent; how our time slipped away; and what we did in His name and for His glory. The books will be opened, and in that day we will be exposed for what we are. The judgment will be individual.

On earth we can get by with our poor rendition because we are singing in a choir. But when we stand before God, we will all be asked to sing a solo. At that time we will wish that we could do many things over again; we will wish that we could relive experiences on earth that were wasted. But it will be too late.

The next time that someone asks you if you’re a Christian, the next time you have the opportunity to call upon someone in their home so as to present the Truth and hope of the Gospel, don’t hope that no one will come to the door! You have all the resources you need to adequately represent Jesus Christ regardless of where you find yourself.

Remember the story of a church in Berlin that was bombed and the hands of a statue were broken off? The workmen intended to repair the statue, but then they decided that they wouldn’t. Why? They wanted that statue to remind them that Christ has no hands today — except ours. Wherever you find yourself, you are His representative, His flesh, and His bones. And today He appoints us to speak and live on His behalf. What an honor. What a responsibility!

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