I was just visiting with one of the contractors working on the house project next door. To be honest, I was admiring his tools. We have all heard that the difference between men and boys is the price of their toys! Having spent some time in the construction and manufacturing world I have been bit by the lure of good tools. And to be sure, good tools are one of the keys to getting the job done and done well. However, I have noticed through the years that some of us get more enamored with the tools than we do with the task. Good tools are only a means to the end.
I find that the same is true of gospel work. However, in gospel work we don’t speak of tools so much as we speak of “means”. By means, we are addressing methods and programs that we use to gain a platform from which to express and apply the gospel. I have found that it is very easy to loose sight of our purpose as we get so actively and energetically employed in the means. These means can take on many forms; let’s just name a few for clarification: Vacation Bible School, Sunday school, youth groups, sports activities, summer camp, dinner parties and as you notice the list could go on and on.
We need to remind ourselves, as Pastor Weber did so well yesterday, that our purpose is to reach into the hearts of men and women, boys and girls with the good news of Jesus Christ. While there seems always to be some help in the diversion of these activities and the “catharsis” that accompanies them, the real help that we have our eyes on is to alert folks to the devastating reality of sin and to call them to repentance. The world can give the help of education and activity, but only Christ can free from the destruction of sin. We need to continue to remind ourselves that the problem in this world is sin and the only hope and help is repentance. We are not here to do the frustrating work of treating the symptoms, we, by God’s grace, go to the cause and bring real help to man!
