Come Follow Me!
To become a conqueror in our everyday lives, we must choose the way of the Lamb, which leads to sacrifice and humility, and allows God's perfect nature to be made perfect in us through love.
In this sermon, the minister shares a personal story about his experience during the war at a military hospital. He was assigned to do orderly work and serve the nurses, but eventually became annoyed and decided to stop waiting on them. However, after receiving a postcard with a Bible verse about being a servant, he had a change of heart and decided to follow the way of the lamb. He began serving the nurses with love and care, and his attitude completely transformed. The minister emphasizes the power of sacrifice and encourages listeners to choose the way of the lamb in order to become conquerors in their everyday lives.
Full Transcript
God lives and works today, but He can only work when our hearts are open and when we don't stand in His way. Yes, whoever wants God to do great things in his life must first be willing to go in a new direction. Today's meditation by Vasileya Shlink is a testimony which throws light on what this direction is.
What does it mean to become a conqueror in our everyday lives? A minister tells in the story of his life how during the war at a military hospital, he had to do orderly work and clean the nurses' rooms and get their breakfast ready. Although a new nurse came, they still made him wait on them till he became annoyed one day and thought, That settles that. I'll tell them they can get their own breakfast.
I'll not wait on them. He was experiencing what is so often our difficulty in daily life at work and at home when we're together with people who try to exploit us. We know from experience that for quite a time we can stand this, but in our hearts, anger and rage build up, and then comes a time when, like the minister, we decide that we've just had enough and from now on we'll stand it no longer.
But what happened to the minister? On the very morning when he made his decision, he received a postcard which said, Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. He was deeply moved after reading God's word on the postcard and praying about it, and he decided to turn to the way of the Lamb again, and so with special love and care he got the breakfast ready for the nurses. There was a great astonishment among them.
What made you change your mind, they asked. Well, answered the minister with humor, I want to be chief, and the Bible says, Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. On the next day, all wanted to help.
How did this change between the minister and his fellow men come about? He didn't do anything differently from what he had done before, yet everything had changed entirely. Now he had joyfully decided to choose consciously the way of the Lamb. His selfishness melded away, and his ego was no longer fed.
He no longer wanted to be thought important and to stand up for his rights. His desire was to be meek like Jesus. And strangely enough, whereas before the minister's heart was smarting and angry, now everything was wonderfully resolved.
From this moment on, joy and peace lived in his heart instead of selfish pride. If only we would realize what power lies in sacrifice. The way of the Lamb is the way of sacrifice through which world-shaking powers proceed from us.
Oh, that we would hear the loving call of Jesus, Come, follow me on the way of the Lamb, and you will become a conqueror in your everyday life. Your likeness preached on me, Jesus my master, Let men see you in me, and give you honor. Your likeness preached on me, your perfect nature, So will my nature be by love made perfect.
This program by Basilea Schlink has come to you from the Little Land of Canaan. If you would like a free leaflet by the same author, please write to God Lives and Works Today, 9849 North 40th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85028-4099. That's God Lives and Works Today, 9849 North 40th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85028-4099.
God bless you.
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of an Open Heart
- The Difficulty of Standing in God's Way
- The Power of Sacrifice and Humility
- Following Jesus' Example
- Jesus' perfect nature can be made perfect in us through love
- We can become conquerors in our everyday lives by following Jesus' example
Key Quotes
“Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” — Basilea Schlink
“If only we would realize what power lies in sacrifice.” — Basilea Schlink
“Your likeness preached on me, Jesus my master, Let men see you in me, and give you honor.” — Basilea Schlink
Application Points
- We must be willing to choose the way of the Lamb and sacrifice our selfish desires in order to follow Jesus' example.
- Sacrifice and humility lead to joy, peace, and world-shaking powers.
- We can become like Jesus by allowing His perfect nature to be made perfect in us through love.