Doing God's Work Is Solemn Business
The sermon emphasizes the importance of loyalty to God in all aspects of Christian service, and the dangers of attempting God's work with false motivation.
G. Campbell Morgan emphasizes the solemnity of doing God's work, using the story of Nadab and Abihu to illustrate the importance of loyalty to God in our service methods. He urges the Church to regularly reassess its organizations and practices to ensure they align with divine principles, warning against those that may drain spiritual vitality without contributing to God's purpose. Morgan stresses that true service must be motivated by the Holy Spirit rather than personal ambition or fame, highlighting the need for constant submission to God's will in all Christian endeavors.
Text
"And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and laid incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD..."
(Lev 10:1).
This is without question a story full of solemnity. It gives pause to all who are called to service, as it reminds us of the necessity for a constant and sustained loyalty to God in our methods of service. It calls the Christian Church ever and anon to halt in her progress in order that she may readjust her relationships with her Lord. It calls us to examine every organization that is springing up, lest haply we find that they are not in accordance with the Divine method, even though they desire the realization of the Divine purpose. I am not at all sure that if the Church would give herself to such solemn consideration and readjustment, she would not find many organizations which are merely fungus growths, sapping her life, and contributing nothing to the work of God.
When we turn from the larger outlook to the more particular, with what awful solemnity does this word speak to us of our work for God. The dark appalling hint of the story needs emphasizing in all its applications; the worker for God must never touch God's work in the strength of any false stimulant. To attempt God's work under the stimulus of passion for fame, or desire for notoriety, is to burn false fire on the altar. To us, I repeat, prescribed forms are no more; but the living and ever-present Spirit of God is with us, and the greatest matter in all our Christian service is that we seek to know His will and submit ourselves to His direction.
Sermon Outline
- The Necessity for Loyalty to God in Service
- The Church Must Re-examine Her Methods
- The Dangers of False Motivation
- The Church must readjust her relationships with her Lord
- This involves examining every organization to ensure they align with God's method
- Attempting God's work with false motivation is like burning false fire on the altar
- Prescribed forms are no longer relevant, but seeking God's will is essential
Key Quotes
“To attempt God's work under the stimulus of passion for fame, or desire for notoriety, is to burn false fire on the altar.” — G. Campbell Morgan
“Prescribed forms are no more; but the living and ever-present Spirit of God is with us, and the greatest matter in all our Christian service is that we seek to know His will and submit ourselves to His direction.” — G. Campbell Morgan
Application Points
- We must seek to know God's will and submit ourselves to His direction in all aspects of Christian service.
- We must examine every organization to ensure they align with God's method and do not siphon off the Church's life and energy.
- We must avoid attempting God's work with false motivation, such as passion for fame or desire for notoriety.