Alexander Maclaren was a British preacher, who was highly acclaimed
during the last half of the 1800s. Considerable publicity was generated
when Maclaren announced that he would, on four consecutive Sundays,
share the basic beliefs of Christianity.
At the personal
invitation of Maclaren, a doubting friend promised he would come to
church and listen to the message with an open mind. It was a promise he
kept.
The day after the fourth sermon had been delivered, the
skeptic showed up in the pastor's office and announced he had had a
change of heart. By the Holy Spirit's call and power he had become a
Christian.
Delighted at the news, Maclaren couldn't help but ask,
"And would you be willing to tell me which of the sermons I preached
managed to crack your skepticism?"
I have found no record of how
Maclaren felt when the man said, "It is quite true that your sermons
were logical and beneficial. But they were not the thing which changed
my mind. Indeed, the change didn't take place on a Sunday, nor was it
within a mile of your church."
The man continued, "One freezing
day I was helping an elderly lady navigate an icy sidewalk. As I did she
looked up at me and said, 'I wonder, sir, if you know my Savior, Jesus
Christ. He is everything in the world to me. I would like you to know
Him, too.' The joy I saw in her face was real. It was her invitation
which sent me home, and there I prayed, and there the Holy Spirit did
His work."
This all goes to prove that the Lord does work through
a well-delivered sermon, and He also accomplishes His work through each
of us.
Pastors preach on Sundays, but before they ever step into
their pulpits the congregation has preached a hundred mini-sermons. Did
they smile at the newcomer? Did they extend a welcoming hand? Did they
help him find his place in the service? Did they ask if he needed to be
shown around? Each of these is a message the Lord uses to convey His
love and point people to the ultimate example of love: our Lord and
Savior.
This makes me wonder: have you ever turned to anyone and
said some version of the words spoken by that little, old lady? Have we
ever said that Jesus is everything to us, and we would like the world to
know Him, too?
Statistics say that most of us -- for a multitude
of reasons -- resist making that invitation.
This is a shame
because you just never know when the Holy Spirit might use your words to
plant His seed, which will turn a skeptic into a saved soul.
THE
PRAYER: Dear Lord, when the opportunity presents itself, may we share
the importance of the Savior with others. May our words and our actions
point to Jesus whose life was the price that was paid to ensure we would
live forever in heaven. It is in the Savior's Name, I make this prayer.
Amen.
Pastor Ken
Klaus
Lutheran Hour Ministries All rights reserved;
not to be duplicated without permission.
