life’s most glorious ministration — it is a life of service. Now we would like to change this word ministration or ministry, to service because the word ministry smacks of the professional. The whole purpose of Christian living is to serve God —• it is the whole im port, the whole purpose of Christian life. Jesus Christ enunciated the prin ciple for us when He said, “Even as the Son came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Jesus exemplified what He preached and lived in His life of service. He took a towel and girded Himself about, and took a basin of water; then went around as a menial servant to wash His disciple’s feet, after which He said, “If I your Lord and Master washed your feet, you ought also to wash one another’s feet. What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt understand hereafter.” In Philippians 2 Paul says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” But He ended it in saying, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and be came obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” How genuinely He could say, “I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” How many folk can answer the ques tion of their life’s work in these words? He said, “It is finished.” Salvation’s work is done. He had completed the task for which He had come to this earth. Today, He offers you eternal life, and this life is to know Him. Paul said, “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed un to him against that day.” “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” Friend, the whole of eternity for you (and for all) is bound up in these words. 29
ment, and confusion: “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” And in John 10:30 He said, “I and my Father are one.” Therefore this is life’s greatest manifestation! When one sees Jesus Christ he has seen what God is and what God is like. The Apostle Paul answers the philoso phy that was prevalent in his day to the Colossians and says, “In him dwell- eth all the fulness of the Godhead bod ily.” And again, “It pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell’.’ Again, may we suggest that in verse 4 you have life’s greatest motivation. Jesus said, “I have glorified Thee on earth.” The greatest motive in life is to glorify God. In the Westminster cate chism there is a query like this, ‘"What is man’s chief purpose” and the answer is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” Now life’s greatest motivation the Apostle Paul in 2nd Corinthians 5:14 says, “The love of Christ con- straineth us.” Life’s greatest purpose. Life’s greatest motivation is this busi ness of glorifying God. The Apostle Paul, in 1st Corinthians 10, says “Whether therefore you eat or drink or whatsoever you do, do all to the glo ry of God.” You see this is the motive for real Christian living. This takes the flesh out. This lifts the humdrum, the monotony, the boredom out of life and it puts us into that abundant life of which the Lord spoke in John 10:10 —“I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abun dantly.” This kind of life is life eter nal — to glorify God yields the fruit of a more abundant life. The third suggestion which we wish to emphasize is: “I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” This is
Dr. E. C. Sheehan, Pastor Mikado Baptist Church Macon, Georgia
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