Our wedding took place in a small fishing lodge in Alaska where it was held in a long, narrow room with just enough space for family and close friends. As I walked in for the ceremony, I greeted those who came to share the special occasion and was reminded of the important step we were taking that day. Most in that room loved the Lord Jesus Christ and knew they were there as witnesses to our commitment, not only to each other as man and wife, but to our Lord and Savior in building a life together centered on Him.
Once up front with my bride, our backs turned to the attendees, I soon forgot all else in the room. We had a couple of our favorite spiritual songs on the program for all to sing together. There is an amazing thing that happens in a small room full of Christians who all know the tune: it gets loud—especially if you are up front.
When the singing started, I nearly jumped out of my skin! I had forgotten about all those voices behind me and hurried to collect myself quickly as they belted it out. I can still hear us sing together:
I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He has made known,
Nor why unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own
How wonderful it was to sing of the Master who gave Himself for us, Who purchased us with His own blood.
Beyond the music, the message delivered that day was one of service and undivided attention to Christ. How needful it was for me to have been impressed that my life was to be characterized by devotion first to Him, then to my wife, no matter what else came. What wonderful and sweet direction for a new husband.
Whom do we Serve?
I think of that day now and how necessary it is to be reminded of one of the most important aspects of what it means to be a Christian: Whom do we serve?
If you listen to Catholics, you might believe you serve Rome, the Pope, and The Church. Many Protestants would have you beholden to some other ecumenical system, a council, or convention. And from the teachings of a majority of Evangelicals, you would have to conclude we serve the unsaved world.
The truth is we serve no earthly person, organization of man’s design, or notion born of popular teaching. We serve a risen Savior who is our Heavenly Master (Acts 27:23, Col. 3:24). Our thoughts, activities, and practices must be first-and-foremost directed toward Him. We must also understand that we serve the despised and rejected Son of God.
Too often the Christian world forgets this and tries to curry favor with a godless world, usually with the excuse that we must be like them in order to reach them. And so we adopt their music, self-help philosophies, and entertainments in the name of advancing the interests of Christ. In all of this we think ourselves a clever lot and make celebrities of the “most” gifted among us, but do we ever consider what it says of Him that His subjects would lower themselves to the ways of a world that rejected and crucified their Lord? That His waiting bride would think it okay to flirt with a world that so completely despises her Bridegroom? That they would seek a name for themselves rather than laying all before His?
In sending the Lord Jesus to the cross, the world demonstrated its hatred for Him and fully expressed the desire that He be put to an open shame. The world is the same today and if we represent Christ with unabashed truth, we can expect to be opposed and regarded with disdain; not accepted, celebrated, and praised. It was true of our Lord Jesus and it will be true for us as well (Jn. 15:18).
As Christians we must therefore take our place alongside our Master and be ready to suffer the same persecution and indignities to which He was subjected. In taking this low place, we may find ourselves ridiculed by an unbelieving world, but let us consider devoted service to Jesus Christ our highest calling and the loftiest place we can attain as Christians.
Can you imagine anything sweeter?
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