traditions as though they were the living gospel. The Amplified New Testament translates this phrase “grandmother’s tales.” We have become very grandmotherly about eighteenth c en tu ry pat terns. Too often our theme song is “come weal or woe, God bless the status quo.” We must learn to separate the water from the container. We live in an exciting day of challenge and opportunity. Some historical traditions are dying and ought to die. Some new patterns are be ing born. Thank God! Our re sponsibility is neither to the old nor the new but to see that the Gospel is transferred intact from the old to the new. A good minis ter serves Jesus. He does not preach “old wives’ fables” nor de fend tradition for tradition’s sake. He is not so committed to the container that he neglects the living water. Thirdly, to become a good min ister, one must also practice god liness. Paul explains, “For bodily exercise profiteth little; but god liness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (I Tim. 4:8). We must remember that Paul is writing to that period in Greek history when the gymnasium was the central building in the com munity. A young man was sev erely conscious of his body and its strength. Paul isn’t condemning bodily exercise. He is simply say ing that the exercise of godliness is profitable for time and eter nity. We have come into the white- collar era of our history when desk jobs require Americans to do something to keep their bodies in condition whether it be jog ging, doing the watusi on a twist board, or push-ups with Jack La Lanne. Once in a while when a friend is bragging abou t jogging or push-ups, I get an “ornery” urge to ask whether the time he spends in prayer and with the Word equals the time spent in bodily
exercise. Does our concern for our spiritual health match our con cern for physical health? Some of you who are faithful to your devotional life may be feeling self-righteous. You feel godly because you equate godli ness with prayer, Bible reading and church attendance. These things do not constitute godliness just as push-ups do not constitute a strong body; they help to build a strong body. Prayer, Bible read ing, church attendance are not godliness; they simply help to build godliness. Godliness is God likeness. Godliness is kindness, sweetness, tenderness, compas sion, friendliness, concern fo r others — being Jesus-like! Our spiritual exercises are in vain if they do not produce God-like character. Our church spends tens of thou sands on a youth program to make possible a m in is t r y to youth. That’s a good spiritual exercise but it isn’t godliness. Youth today need to see and feel genuine godliness. They need to be part of a church that cares— cares enough to love them, to be tender to them, to spend time with them, to seek them out and to share their burdens. It’s a spir itual exercise to give a dollar, to serve on a church board or to legislate a program, but godliness gives of time, love and energy. Churches applaud the youthful soloist, the athlete, the handsome, the charming, the attractive. God liness seeks out the lonely, the introvert, the kid on the corner. To become a good minister of Jesus Christ you must know Him personally, avoid old wives’ tales and practice godliness. Why Be A Good Minister? “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” (I Tim. 4: 10 ). The title of this message is “Great Goals Dwarf the Devil’s Darts.” It isn’t easy to love the
unlovely, to be kind to the mean, to be good to the ungrateful, to be kind toward th o se who have crossed you off, to smile at a frown, to be gracious when you are being condemned justly or un justly. It isn’t easy to be a good minister, a good servant of Jesus Christ. It takes discipline. It takes work, prayer, introspection, hon est examination of your real mo tives. You can, however, dwarf the devil’s temptation to be ordinary and average if you will look at the goals, see what is involved and realize that your love toward the unlovable, your kindness to ward the unkindly, your gracious ness toward the ungrateful, may mean the difference betw een heaven and hell in the life of a soul. It may be the basis for some one’s judgment as to the credi bility of the Gospel. It may deter mine whether the unsaved hear you with respect or cross you off as a religionist. Why does a mother before a burning house ignore the heat, the smoke, the consequences and instinctively dash through the front door? Her children’s lives are worth any price! In the three years I courted my wife I saved every p o s s ib le penny. I skipped breakfast, I did without lunch or limited it to a hot dog. I talked the snack bar in to making a half of a milk shake. The purchase of clothes was mini mal. I sponged on my relatives for meals and lodging. I was pinching every one-cent stamp. If I were to tell you all I did it might sound as though I was making sacrifices to save money to get married, but I never even thought of it as a sacrifice. It wasn’t hard. I WAS IN LOVE! It isn’t easy to be a good serv ant of Jesus Christ. It is a de manding life. The goals are great but great goals can dwarf the devil’s darts, when we allow them to excite our souls. Ours is a great God and greatly to be served. BE Rev. Harold Adams is Pastor of First Baptist Church, Downey, Calif.
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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