T9RREY MEMORIAL BIBLE CONFERENCE What On Earth Are You Doing for Heaven's Sake?
by Dr. Curtis B. Nims Santa Barbara, Calif.
Matthew 19:16-25; 22:37-40
I N the study of this interesting por tion of Scripture there have been many messages given. There is a real need to apply these verses, however, to the days in which we are living. Jerome Ellison’s discovery was that what is wrong with the world is what is wrong with men. He has stated that if he could get at civil war within himself then he would be striking at the heart of the entire world crisis. In the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, we read in Matthew 22:37 and 39, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." One person no doubt put it succinct ly when confiding to his psychiatrist, “I hate the human race. The reason is that I think I’m as good as anybody, and I’m despicable!” This was real insight. The man saw that he had in his heart the rudiments of all the good and evil to be found on earth. One of the biggest enemies is the per sonable and successful man. The most popular current American ideal is success spelled with a capital “S.” This generally means material success, although fame and power are in the running, too. Churches have not been immune to the “success virus.” That new building will increase our “status” or “image" in the eyes of the com munity. We collectively covet praise and consider it a special honor if some one of notoriety attends our service. It doesn’t seem to matter if the person is religiously illiterate and morally corrupt. What has happened to us that we have become so engulfed with power and popularity? What has hap pened that we have become so addicted to luxury and that for millions of peo ple the great American dream is noth ing more than personal or family suc cess as the “great society” flourishes. Some might think that Jesus was
hard on the popular or successful re ligious people of His day. After all, the Scribes and the Pharisees were near the top of the success ladder. Yet, Jesus told the people not to be like them for they were corrupt in a false society which had favored them. He cautioned about too much popu larity: “Woe unto you when all men speak well of you.” He told His fol lowers that the right way to live would be to take a place at the lower part of the table, a place of the ser vant. This was certainly not attractive advice to the young man on his way up. Jesus told him to get rid of all his status symbols. Because of this, he w e n t aw a y disappointed. This wasn’t the kind of advice he sought. He came to the right place; he asked the right questions; he received the right answers; but he went away sor rowing. God forbid that any of us should come to Christ and go away disappointed because of our refusal to be identified with Him. The Lord Jesus often found the suc- Dr. Curtis 8. Nims
21
Made with FlippingBook Annual report