CONDITIONS OF SUCCESSFUL SERVICE
‘And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.’
The Saviour’s promise is most reassuring. Christ was the Master Fisher of men, and He undertakes to make us ‘fishers’ like Himself, if only we will come after Him. What then are the conditions for serving Christ?
I. There must be personal devotion to the Lord Jesus.—Our service must be all for Christ. We are all called to serve. All our service must be unto Him. Love for Christ, not enthusiasm for humanity, must be our motive. We are His soldiers and servants, bought by His redeeming love. The importance of this devotion to Christ lies in many directions:—
(a) It keeps us from being too much engrossed in our own corner of the vineyard. It delivers us from a narrow sectarian or congregational spirit. If we are working primarily for Christ, we shall recognise as fellow-labourers all others who are working for Him. It is only natural that our church, our schools, our branch of work should have a large place in our hearts, but let us see that Christ has always the first place.
(b) Then it keeps us from being too anxious as to results. If our work is for Him, faithfulness is everything; success may be as Christ thinks best. Some men are set to plough and sow, others to reap and gather the harvest. It is enough for the servant if he is sure that he is doing the Master’s bidding. Duties are ours, results belong to God.
(c) It keeps us working on right lines. We are often tempted to think that the end justifies the means, and in our anxiety to win men we may use means that God cannot bless.
(d) Then we shall live behind our work, not upon it. We shall live upon the Master, not upon our service. This is most important.
II. There must be increasing dependence upon God the Holy Ghost.—This follows from our devotion to Christ. Our dependence upon the Holy Spirit should be so absolute that in one sense the Holy Spirit is the agent, and we are only instruments. Our aim is to be ‘meet for the Master’s use.’ It is the Master who uses. The vessel can do nothing except hold and carry what it receives. In a double sense it is not its own. It cannot lift or move itself.
III. We must be filled with true love for men.—Not every philanthropist is a Christian, but every true Christian is a philanthropist. If our love spring from the right source, it will flow out in true love for men. We shall ‘love one another with a pure heart fervently.’ This love of men will show itself in many ways.
(a) We shall have an intelligent sympathy with their real needs. If asked for bread we shall not offer a stone. There is only one Bread of Life. We shall have nothing to do with modern substitutes for the Gospel.
(b) There will be a magnificent hopefulness about our work. Love is always hopeful. Our love for men will make us cling to them, and never give up. What a splendid programme is the programme of the Gospel! We have it sketched out in the text of our Saviour’s first sermon at Nazareth. See the persons reached—the poor, the brokenhearted, the captives, the blind, the bruised. To these we are sent.
(c) And there will be plenty of aggressive enterprise.—When He gives the word we shall not fear to launch out into the deep.
Rev. F. S. Webster.
Illustration
“The nature of the call is unique. It is wonderfully absolute and authoritative. It asks entire submission—perfect obedience. It invites to a position of subordination. “Come after Me.” It is not—Come with Me; enter into partnership with Me, that we may together carry out and carry forward this great enterprise—“the Kingdom of God.” No; that is not it. A kingdom He had come to establish, but it was not to be an oligarchy; and as little was it to be a republic. It was to be a monarchy. So Christ begins, as He means to proceed. He is King, and will be; and besides Him there is, and there will be, no other. All in the Kingdom come after “Him.” It was so, it is so, and it evermore will be so.’