"Fervent in spirit" - "Maintain the spiritual
glow". ( loffatt) Romans 12:11
"
INTAINING THE SPIRITUAL GLOW"
~ver been romance in lighting of a fire. As
we think of lighting fires memories come trooping back. Memorable occasions. Lighting a camp
fire some evening in early fall. Stars above and
a sweet, pungent smoke. Burning leaves in October. There's an incense for you.
Or ancient ceremony of lighting fire on all
Hallows' Eve. Or still more ancient custom of
bringing in Yule Log at Christmastime.
Kindling the Fire
Thinking of other fires. Am
thinking of fire of faith the spiritual glow that was
kindled in our hearts - for we do love God - we
do love the church - we do profess to love our
Lord. How did it all come about?
Someone kindled that glow. Memory buried
in subconscious mind. Perhaps we can just remember or think we can remember, a father and a
mother, kneeling by the crib and talking to sameone they could not see. Glow was kindled.
Later came those long and happy childhood
days. Just before you scurried into bed you were
taught your prayers - "Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the lord my soul to keep". Then a hurried
"God bless mammy and daddy - and grandpa etc.
and make me a good boy for Jesus' sake. amen.
Later still you went to a large building.
Soaring pillars and arches. Stained glass windows with figures of people in them. Many people
there - all seemed friendly and happy. Seemed
old - gentlemen as old as mountains - with long
beards. Must be centuries old, I'll betcha. And
there was singing - and words spoken to the same
unseen and kind Someone - God. And you saw your
own father in the choir - and would not exchange
that memory for all wealth of Indies.
And you started to read. And in your home
and in your Sunday School you listened to and
read the story of Jesus. A babe born in a stable
- ctnd you thought what fun to be born in stable.
-2-
Vfuat fun to live in stable with cows, donkeys,
pigeons. And slide down the hay.
That's how it started. Today we invoke the
blessing of God upon those who kindled spiritual
glow in that boyish heart. Did best to give us
a sense of reverence for all things lovely and
of good report. They kindled the spiritual glow.
!/ lt\..1~ ~ ~r ~IV!~ .do~~.y ~'./1-a...l /;;-~o ~.._,
.-:v
(!~'"" ~
A Protecting Ardor
Soon we discovered that spiritual glow was a tender and
delicate flame. ~Vhen flame
died down we became open to attack from ugly and
unspiritual things. Later we learned there is
always protection where there is spiritual flame
and ardor.
Like the traveler in adventure story. Land
infested with wild animals. Fire lighted night not only for warmth but also to keep wild animals
at bay. Said Appelbe, "As long as fire burned
brightly the animals dared not attack. Nor would
they draw near".
~·.[ ere we to confess, we would have to say we
have been kept steady in the midst of fierce temptation, by the grace of God, and by our love for
certain folks - people we would not hurt or disappoint for dll the world. And even when we have
fallen or failed, our relationship to them has
brought restoration.
Parable of Prodigal Son - the boy could not
get away from the love of his father. Could not
forget. That love finally restored him. "What
am I doing here? I will arise and go to father".
The spiritual glow kindled by his father had never completely died down. Could not forget.
Moral and s p iritual trouble comes, t emptation overpowers us, fierce beasts attack us when
we allow the flame to die down.
Maintaining the Glow
How to keep the fire burning brightly; how to maintain the spiritual glow that is the problem. Easy to sense God here; easy
to sense spiritual glow here. But to-morrow is
another matter. Teachers back to pupils; man of
business back to competitive world; nurse back to
demanding duties of sickroom and patients; house-
wife back to pots and pans; students back school;
all of us back to routine - for life must go on.
There can be no running away. To-morrow will be
hard to keep poise, maintain serenity and spiritual glow.
'.'l e are so vulnerable.
Find ourselves
at mercy of things which happen around us. Let
me make sugg estions:
Lay hold upon the goodness of God. Fai th in
the justice and love of the Heavenly Father. dhatever we might be suffering, God will make things
work together for good. To trust the goodness of
God despite the badness of men . To believe in the
ultimate triumph of decency despite evil. To see
through dark shadows of sorrow and blinding flashes of pain, the face of a Heavenly Father. Cardinal Mer cier of Belgium on 50th anniversary of his
ordin~tion to priesthood, speak of his serenity.
Lay hold upon the greatness of God. There is
a calm that comes as we lift eyes from little to
the large. Job was delivered from problems when
he sensed greatness of God - "rvhere wast thou Job
when I laid the foundation of the world'?" When
Job turned from picking at own wounds to pondering
wonders of God's greatness, he was on road to victory. So with the psalmis t - 121 Psalm - "I will
lift mine eyes unto the hills". Lift our gaze
from molehills of our troubles to mountains of the
Lord. Lay hold on His greatness. He is our God.
as we contemplate His greatness there steals over
our highstrung nerves a calming sense of patience.
Sydney Lanier gives us the secret which sustained
him through his sufferings;
Use some practical techni ques. Might I suggest public \vo rship as a means of helping maintain
spiritual glow? When your attendance is spasmodic
the fire dies ~ down. Sp iritual life becomes toneless. The animals of temp tation draw near. Then
might I suggest the mid-week service as a helpful
technique. David Reid reported average attendance
of 200. The powerhouse of the church. Something
happens in the fellowship. Renew our strength.
Finally, use of p rivate prayer . Previewing
the day with all its demands and duties in light
of God's wisdom. At night reviewing. Vlhi t tier.
The
ecret
I met God in the morninp
-Jhen the day was dt its best .
•nd His Presence ctllTI.e like sunrise
Like a e;lory in my breast.
~11 ddV long the Presence lingered.
n.ll day long it stayed with me.
~nd we Sdiled with perfect calmness
O'er
very troubled sea.
r
Other ships were torn and battered.
Other ships were sore distressed.
But the winds that seemed to drive them
Brou["ht to me
pe ce and rest.
So, I think I ' ve learned the secret
Known from many a troubled w y.
You must seek Him in the morning,
If you want Him all the day.
Ralph S. Cushman
- '3-
in the midst of fierce temp tat ion b a race
of God - and b our love ~or certain folks
who we \tluld not hurt r disa point for all
the w:J rld.
illd even men ie have f i led
fallen, it has been that love and ardor
that have brou ht us restoration.
Par ble of Prodigal on. You see, he
could not et awav from 10ve of his father.
T · t love final . brought him to hi self lind to nlace of restorati n.
Loral and spiritual trouble coiPes
1a a lcm the flame to die do m. Animals
t- ck us at that moment.
'l'he Problem: Keep intz
the .fire Ali.!Zht
Th t 's our Problem.
S iritual glow does
not keen lZlo Ting of
itself. Yires have
to be tended, nurtured, watched; else turn
to grey, cold ashes. L ikewise s ~ iritual
life.
Ptiul's v:nrds - "I' ....intc1in spiritual
glow". Paraphrase- "Keep fire
ia;ht 11 • I
like that word ''naintain''. Suggests main ten
ance crews with daily or nightly tasks. 1t
suggests scrubwomen who clean gre t buildings in rew York City; railway men trud ing
tr cks to ensure safe travel; linemen who
in bitter cold of winter and prostrating
heat of summer ~aintain light and hone ser
vice. Heminds one of housewives washing
dishes day after day maintaining the home.
'1' kes some maintaining. reactiers herd
today worshining have face not the mobs Jo
.lesley fuced, but, thirty or forty little
demons bent on their destruction. Or maybe
have to face some ouest ing younp. n.inds vho
Wd it their leader ship and help • .tilld man of
business has to return to nernlexin
rob lems.
nd h us ewife to her dishes . ..:illd the
nurse to sickroom. And so me to uncon eni~l
: bs; ~.:md students to sch ol. Life oes on.
e
1\'lUCh have I travell' d in the realms of gold,
~md manv ~oodly states and kingdoms s~en;
rtound many ~estern islands have 1 been
1
'fhich bards in fealty to d.pollo ho d.
Oft of one wide expanse had I been to d
'l'ha.t deep-browed .!iomer ruled as his demesne;
ret did 1 never breathe its pure serene
'l'ill 1 heard Ghapr1an sreak out loud and bold :
Then felt I like ·some watcher of the skies
'Jhen a new planet swims into his ken;
ur like stout Gortez '11/hen w1 th eaRle eyes
He star d at the .Pacific - and all his men
Look ' d at each other \"'i th a wild surmise Silent, upon a peak in Darien.''
Keats
On
ll' irst
LookinR 1nto vhaprnan' s Homer
"Whether in the years of peace or the years of
war, whether in poverty or prosperity, whether
in failure or success, never have I failed to
feel deep down in my heart a sense of tranquillity, confidence and peace . I must tell you
the secret of Christian serenity. It lies in
giving yourself confidently to the goodness of
the Lord". Cardinal Mercier
"As the marsh-hen secretly builds on the watery
sod,
Behold I will build me d nest on the greatness
of God 11
Marshes of Glynn
"Drop thy still dews of quietness
Till all our strivings cease.
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
.And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of thy peace.
Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind and fire,
0 still small voice of calm"
Whittier
'Wonders of Faith
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen ...
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed
by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were
not made of things which do appear.
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain . ..
By faith Noah, being warned of God . . . prepared an ark
to the saving of his house ...
By faith Abraham, when called to go out .. . obeyed; and
went out, not knowing whither he went.
By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel.
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to
be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter ...
By faith they [Israelites] passed through the Red Sea . ..
which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
And what shall I more say? ... prophets: who through
faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained
promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ... out of weakness
were made strong, waxed valiant in fight.- From Hebrews.
To the woman who "touched" Him, Jesus said, " Thy
faith hath made thee whole."
After healing blind Bartimeus, Jesus said, " Thy faith hath
saved thee."
The jailer at Philippi was reassured by Paul's words, " Believe [have faith] on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt
be saved, and thy house. "
To Nicodemus were spoken the most precious words, that
whosoever believeth [has faith] in the Son of God, shall
not perish but have everlasting life.
0 Lord, increase our faith , and teach us to walk by faith.
A.P.H. N o. 8105 Litho in U.S .A.
... . .... .
rrhr clnot shalt livr b~ f.aitk
rrr io tl vital truth that shook thr wot~l~ :
~ ··.Thr just ohalt livr b~ faith .. :· an~ our ran orr
Luthrr. the rarncot srrkrr. as he hur1r~
_Tht' tv or~ s for aU to hrttt'. awl tightt'outd~
~ Prorlaimra his otaunrh bclirf though it might bt·ing
\If JI)art~rbmn an~ ~rath: though thn·r might bt·rak
.~ otornt ~bout hi\1 hra~- ~ thrratrniug thing
.1gttinot our otttnaing firnt fm· ronocirnrr oakr.
...Thr rxrrrior of living faith !.. hio n·l!.
.. r.liug thr boor wibr oprn.rrrach thr ·((l or~ ...
(lufttihngt~ hr otrovr tt8 tbr !fttro wt·nt b\1
.rl'o uprra~ tbr truth rutb make hio mrooagr hrat·b.
··_Thr juot ohal11ivr b! faith." 0 tnau of Oob.
(I)itliono hktvr fotlowrb wbrrr 11our frrt futvr trob.
.
-
FREMONT STREET METHODIST CHURCH
Gloversville, New York
October 17, 1948
ORDER OF MORNING -v;roRSHIP
Edmundson
ORGAN - "Prelude on 'Fair est Lord J e sus 1 ;;
CALL TO 'NORSHIP - by th e minist er
Morning ton
~IYl.'iN 36 - "We lift our hearts to Thee "
RESPONSA LS :
Minister: Create in me a cl ean hea rt, 0 God;
People: And r enew a right spirit within me.
Minister: Restore unto me the joy 9f thy salvation;
Pe ople: And uphold me with thy fre e spirit.
Minister: 0 Lord, op en thou my lips ;
People: And my mouth shall show forth thy prais e .
DOXOLOGY - To be sung by all
*
RESPONSIVE READING - 42nd Sunday - page 609
GLORIA PATRI ::APOSTLES' CREED
SCRIPTURE LESSON - Romans 12
C.ALEiiDAR FOR TODAY
10:30
10:30
11:45
6:00
7:30
Mo rning do rship and sermon - 11 Ma i ntaining the
Spiritual Glow 11 •
Childr en's Division of the Church School.
Youth and Adult Divisions of the Church School.
Methodist Youth Fellowship - grade s 9 to 12.
David Doble, president will lead the discussion.
Union Evening Service at 11 Fremont 11 with the Rev.
Clarence Schaerte l as the pr ea cher .
Altar flowe rs are given in memory of ~.Trs . Caroline Hammond and }:'r. John Dutcher by their families.
THROUGH THE WEEK AT FREMONT
11:00
6:30
7:30
8 :00
'\NED .
7:30
THURS. 2:00
MON.
*
Bach
ANTHEM - 11 J e su, Joy of 111a.n' s Desiring"
PAS'fORAL PRAYER :: LORD'S PRAYER
Hokanson
ORGAN OFFERTORY - "Morning Prayer"
PRESENTJ.TION OF TITHES AND OFFER INGS
Ma ryton
H'.fMN 178 - "Spirit of Life"
J e sus
SER!I~ON - "MA INTAININ G THE SPIRITTJL.L GL0111J''
Something
for
HYMN 219 - "Saviour Thy dying loven
Danish
BENEDICTION :: CHOR11.. L AMEN
Vol ekma r
ORGAN - "POSTLUDE in B Flat"
* Int erval for Ushe ring
Rev. Fred Clarke , Minister
Miss Gloria Iacono, Minister of Music
J,frs. Harvey Connor, Minister's Assistant
Mrs. Keith Gifford, Church Socr etcry
Mr. Lewis Cunning, Sexton
7:45
8:00
7:30
3:45
9 :30
8:00
Weekday School; grades 10 to 12.
VICTORY DnJNER f or ca nvass workers.
Boy Scouts; troop 7.
E.W.F. Cla ss meets with Mrs. Ha rold Olson.
Mid-week Servic e with Mr. Clarke l ea ding.
and 8:00 Regional meetings of Foreign Missions Progr am of Advance, Trinity flie thodist Church, Albany. An inspiring program.
Epworth ·workers meet at the church.
Ln ur e l Band meets with Mrs. Charles Richardson, 8 Wood Str ee t. Letter is "M".
Fr emont Choir r ehearsa l.
Youth Choir r ehea rsal.
Children's Choir r ehearsa l.
Coupl es Club .Hallowe ' en Party a.t the church.
THE .h.FN TJAL EVERY-MEMBER CANVASS is now be ing conduct ed
by one hundr ed workc;::s: Your church needs your continued support and loya lty if it is to witness in the community and around th e world. We lcome tho canvass as an
opportunity to co-op er a t e with God "who has no ha nds but
our hands".
CORDD~ L
CU.SS
,~:,RNU11.L
TURF'.EY DINNER - OCT. _9.Q.
IN
&]leanings
Jhe !}leaners we have a striking illustration of the many
who, in a humble way, are taking part in the great work of
bringing souls into the Kingdom. Others may conduct the
harvest, bring in the sheaves. Most of us merely have a part
in gathering the gleanings.
This is lowly, inconspicuous work. It requires patience and
perseverance. It is without glamor and often seemingly without reward. The results seem so meager. And yet, he who
seeks and brings into the Sunday school a child without other
spiritual care may be saving an immortal soul. He may be
giving direction to a life destined to become a blessing to
many.
He who brings into the fellowship of believers some lonely,
destitute or degraded person may be saving his own soul.
Does it not seem that when the gleanings are few they are
The ~leane1rs
the more precious?
" Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth. "
No. 693
Cl A.PH.l•lho.inU.S.A..
8 Ti-: E~ T !.lE'lP..vD IS T C ~1 URCH
Gloversville, New York
Fred Clarke, Minister
Grace L. Gifford
Marjorie J. Gensemer
Church Secretary
Minister of Music
Lewis Cunning, Sexton
SEPTEll.iEER 15, 194 6 - CALENDAR FOR 'I 0 DAY
FRE1IQ~; T
ORGAN PRELliDE - "Adagio"
Alec Rowley
INTROIT - "Grant me true courage, Lord,
To front each new endeavor."
Bach
INVOCATION - By the minister
HYMN 4 - "O worship the King, all glorious above" Lyons
HES PONSALS :
Minister: Create in me a clean heart, 0 God;
People: And renew a right spirit within me.
Minister: Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;
People: And uphold me with thy fr ee spirit.
Minist er: 0 Lord, open thou my lips;
Peopl e : And my mouth shall show forth thy prais e .
DOXOLOGY - To be sung by all
*
ANTHEM - "Worship"
Geoffr ey Shaw
The Fremont Choir
RESPONSIVE READING - 37th Sunday - 2nd Reading
GLORIA PATRI
APOSTLES' CREED
*
SCRIPTURE
LESSON - Romans 12
CALL TO PRAYER - "Spirit of the Living God,
Fo.ll afresh on Me."
Pl:..STORAL PRJ.YER :: LORD'S PRJSER
ORGl:..N OFFERTORY - "Sonatina"
HYMN 182 - "O Spirit of the Living God"
Anon.
Bach
St. Loonnrd
SERMON - "KEEPING THE FIRE J,LIGHT"
HYMN 267 - "Rise up, 0 men of God"
BENEDICTION :: CHORAL AMEN
ORGL.N POSTLUDE - "Festal Song"
* Interval for Ushering
Walter
Seth Bingham
We welcome all visitors to the s ervice this morning.
10:30
Morning Worship and sermon; "Keeping the Fire
Alight". Anthem by the Fremont Choir.
Church-time Nursery Hour for small children.
11:00 Primary and Junior Church for children.
11:55 Church School; classes for all age groups. The
"Everyman's Class" led by the minister starts a
series of discussions on "The Christian Heritage
of America". All men cordially invited.
7:30 Union Evening Service at First Baptist Church with
Rev. Fred Clarke preaching.
Altar flowers today are given in memory of Mr.
and Mrs. William Oaksford by the family.
THROUGH THE WEEK AT FREMONT
TUESDJ.Y
2:30
The Council of Church Women will serve
~and pres ent a program at First Congrega-
tional Church. All l a di e s invited.
7:45 E. F.W. Class mee ts at the home of Mrs.
Edgar Whitman, 76 Prospect Avenue .
8:00 Anna Mosher Cla ss will meet at the church,
WEDNESDAY "'7:30 The Mid-week Service, Mr. Clarke leading.
THURSDAY 8:00 The Laur e l Band me ets at the home of Mrs.
Moritz Gundersen 1 71 Park Street with Mrs. H.
P. Quackenbush, Mrs. Harry Wilson and Mrs. Jas.
Kueba ugh assisting. The letter is "Y".
FRIDJS
11:00 Weckdo.y School for grade 9.
1:00
We ekday School for grades 7 and 8.
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Fremont Choir - Tuosday, 7:30 p.m.
Chapel Choir -Friday, 3:30 p.m.
Carol Choir - Saturday, 9~30 a.m.
Upper Rooms for the new quarter are now available.
YOU .ARE INVITED TO STAY TO CHURCH SCHOOL
'
11
MAINTAINING A SPIRITUAL GLOW"
INTROUJC.TION
I came ac·ross some rather light and amusing 'lines
about a man and some trouble he w~s having
with his automobile, lines which help to lead me into what I should
like to say to you this morni'ng, on thi's the last Sunday of the old
year.. Let me read these lines to you:
·r~oently
"There once was a man with a very fine car,
Which no one had ever seen go very far.
When asked to explain it he would sadly reDly:
'You can't -understand it, and neither can I;
For ten years ago she was tuned and they greased ~fr•
And I fill her with gas every Christmas and Easter
Ac:tually when you stop to think about, when
you come right down to it, hi,s trouble had
to do with
maintenanc-e.
He thought he could
.
.
11
run his automobile without proper maintenance - ••.• ten years ago
she was tuned and they greased her, and I f111:.-.her w1 th gas every
Christmas and Easter". You and I have learned, much to our distress,
that nothing - from cars to air-cond 1tioners -to"' televisions .can be kept in good working condl ti on without something in the way ·
of oc·casi orial maintenanc-e. And we know too from our own exuerienoes
that a talent for playing the piano, or singing, or shooting a
golf game in the eighties, can be preseved only by constant
prac·t ice. And yet somehow we allow ourselves to think that one of
our most precious possessions of all, namely our Christian faith
and our sniritual life, can be kept in a vital condition without any
partic'ular trouble. And this too - that our churches can be maintained and kept alive without very lmuch in the way of personal
involvement and maintenance. Yes - maintenance was part of that
man'.s trouble with his car. and maintenance is part of our nroblem
as Christians.
MAINTENANCE - HIS
PROBLEM, OUR PROBLEM
It was the Anostle Paul, writing to the neonle of Rome who
said: "Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit". You and I
today are.resting in the after-glow of Christmas, and judging from
the size of our congregation it appears that some of our neoule
chose to ·rest at home. We've been through one of the high noints
of our year. Now we are coming down from the mountain peaks where
we have beeri for several days, back down into the valley, so to
speak, of every day living •
.
· On Tuesday morning we'll really be ba~k. It will be all over.
Children will trudge back to school. Students will make their way
back to the universities. Relatives will return to their homes.
Office workers will go back to their hum-drum tasks. No more narties,
at least, not for a while. The man of the business world will
return to his perplexing nroblems on his desk. The nurse back to
the sick-room. And the poor housewife is left with cleaning up
the house following all of the excitement of Christmas and New Years.
And so life comes back down to earth. And so life goes on. For
·some it is not easy to maintain this "suiritual glow" thq.t Paul
was referring to.
2
I face this problem just as you do. Churches are
always more exciting during the Any-ent Season or
during the Season of Lent than they are at any
other time during the year. People are more religious then; congregations are apt to be larger. Churches have those hi~h seasons
when even the slackest are aroused and the strong,winds of faith
blowing across the world from Bethleheql or Calvary stir the smoking
fires to new life. But I would remind you that the great work for
God which clamors to be done in our time will not be served by a
sporadic devotion or a seaspnal faith. Kingdom building is a year
round job. Our spiritual lives, in order to be kent alive, must
have regular spiritual nourishment. And our churches won't go very
far or ac C'OmlJli sh much if our members stop by only at Christmas and·
at Easter_to ffll up their sniritual gas tanks. You know this as
well as I do.
I FACE THIS
PROBLEM TOO
A little boy asked another little boy, "Is your daddy a Christian ? 11 "Yes 11 said his friend, "But he hasn't been doing very much
about it recently." This is the case with too many Christians~ As
a matter of fact I think it's the cast· with many of us. We dontt
often think of our religion as a matter about which we should be
11
doing something". And I use the word "we" purposely- not as a
subtle way of getting at some·of you, prodding some of you who are
apt to be c·areless regarding your relationship to this church. I
use the word "we" bec·auee to a degree this holds true with "all of usn.
I think all of us exnect our faith to carry us along throu~h every
storm that comes along, to bring us safely through the storm to the
other side •••• without doing much about it. It holds true with our
view of the church, too. We expect the church to grow in terms of
size and influence, even though personally we don't do much.about it.
Maintenance fs part of our problem as Christians - maintaintng
our faith, our spiritual lives- as Paul put it 11 never flag in zeal,
aglow with the spirit". Wouldn't it be grand if someone were to
presc·ribe for us a set of spiritual exercises by which our religious
vitality could be maintained, results guaranteed. For instanc'e, if
doing X number of spiritual push-ups each day could keep our snirits
in trime, most of us I ·think could be brought into line. But it
doesn't work that way. Maintain! ng a spiritual plow. It's not easy,
for we are creatures of emotion as well as reason. Our spirits soar,
and our spirits sag. How? How does one maintain this S>Jiritual glow
to which Paul referred.
PAUL HAS ADVI..CE ON THIS
I
Well, we find_ that Paul had . some advi.ce
to offer in response to this situation.
Elsewhere in his writing we find him saying this: "Let us not allow
slackness to spoil our work and let us keep the fires of the spirit
burning as we do our work for God" This is what Paul wrote to one
of the churches of his oay. Along with the great affirmations of
t~e Gospel there also come the sh~n imperatives to the Christian'
flock. No hesitation here on Paul's parot. More than once he
admonished sheep in his flock. More than once they heard his
sharp imperatives, and perhaps we need to hear them too if we
are to maintain our faith and carry out the work of the Lord.
I
- 3 II
.
"Let us not allow slackness to spoil our work said Paul to
those early Christians. Somehow I find it difficult to associate
slackness with those early Christians in Rome. I nicture them meeting for worship-in secret'ul~ces at great .risk to their own lives,
scratching their names and· texts on the walls of the catac·ombs, going
into the arenas to face the lions stn~ing. And yet Paul warns them
nat to allow s1ackness to snoil their work. I wonder what he would
have to say to many of our modern-day Christians, many of whom are
apt to be slack in fulfilling their obligations as Christians. The
.chances are that he would scorn the softness of many of our ne ople
who, for instance, permit a bit of moisture in the air or snow und'3rfoot to keep them from coming together in worship.
I remember a few weeks ago_ around Thanksgiving time trying to
impress upon my Sunday School class of young boys the importanc·e of
regular attendance ·at Sunday Sc·hool. I told them about the Pilgrim
Fathers and showed them a picture of the Pilgrims on their way to
churC'h. "This" r-:-said, 11 1s the tyne of spirit, a ruggedness that
made our country _what sne is today" ''They went to church every Sunday - rain or shine - sometimes for four or five hour, too" •. One o:r
the boys in the class broke the seriousness of the mood, however; he
looked at the picture and noting the guns carried by the men said,
"Gee ••••• I •a go to church every day in the week if I could shoot some
Indians along-the way".
I
Slackness - the church fathers were right when they included it
as one of the seven deadly sins •. They called it by another name •
elothfulness. We call it slac·kness. And for many ueople it is
even more deadly than some of the other more excitDng sins, for it
quietly undermines all of our good resolutions and intentions, but
yet it never seems quite vicious enough to bring forth within us any
strong feelings of penitence:. Slackness - it's one sin that we can
do somethtng about. And we don't need vast supernatural aid to rid
ourselves of this sin. We don't need to sit around waiting for some
heavenly vision or upsurge of power to eliminate it. All we need is
a bit of will power, a b1t of determination.
I remember a few years ago hearing Dr. James Stewart, the great
Scottish preacher, preaching in Edinburgh, a great preacher - a great
exponent of the liberating uower of Christ and the nromises of' victory
that the Gospei offers. He told of a lday who· one time came to see
him with something of a special problem on her heart. "Dr. Stew9.I't 11
she said "I want you to tell me how to ~ain yictory over m.y tendency
to lie in bed too long on a morning·".
Madam" he said "My advice ·
to you is to put one leg over the side of the bed and then draw the
other leg out after it". Isn't it true that sometimes we go looking
for spiritual exercises when God is talking dire·ftly to our wills and
our common sense.
"Let us not allow slackness to spoil our work" - The chances are
if we were to pause at this point and look into our -lives that each
of us could find some a~ea in our Christian life where we have beoome
a little slack. With most of you, it's not getting out of bed on a
:-unday morning and getting yourself to churc'h. It may be nep:lecting
to read your Bible. It may be in not contr.olling your temper or
your tongue in a. more Christian fashion. It may be th~t you've been
slack in your sensitivity to the feelings of others around you, perhaps
too critical, too gossipy. It ,may be that you've been slack in
4 getting to some of the meetings we have here in the chur~h. (13 out
of 32 attended last month's official board meeting) You can't build
a church on that type of discipleship! Let us not allow~· slackness
to spoil o~r work.
'iAnd let us keep the fires of the spirit burning" - in our own
lives and in the church as we move into 1962. How do we do this?
We know what keeps a fire burning and what puts. 1t out. Fuel and·
air keep it going.. Water and suffocation will extinguish it. I
think we know too what keeps the fires of the snirit alive- there
are habits, practices, places, people, books, actions, thoughts.
'rhese are the fuel and air for the fires of the spirit.
Tqmorrow we begin another year. ·This is the time for resolutions,
for decisions, for taking stock of one'e self, one's,situation. The
chances are that you have already made some New Year s resolutions.
· · Let me suggest three more that I would like to have each one of you
add to your list.
First: Let me suggest public worship as a means of helping vou
to maintain the sniritual glow of your life. When you attendance at
uublic worship is spasmodic, the :tires begin to die down. Really, I
think your outlook on lif'e is apt to be much-better when you take this
hour each week and set aside for the great things of the human soul.
And not only are you helped, but 1 t helps to build this churc·h, for a
ful],. church is the b~st advertisement that we can give to the
occasional visitor. If you regard com ng to church as the third or
fourth possibility for a Sunday morning, the chances are it isn't
going to help you much, and your church won't go very far on this
approach. Resolve to be in church every Sunday morning in 1962·rain or shine - in so far as it is humanly possible.
Secr:ond: Let me suggest to each of you that you set up 1n your
own life some sort ·of daily devotional exercise. How peonle exne ct to
cope effectively with ·life in this great city and not take time out
daily to nu · 1 together the scattered forc·es of their souls, is beyond
me. And yet there are people trying to do it. Read a chapter of
your Bible daily. Follow it ury with several moments of quiet prayer.
You'l1 be surprised at the difference this spiritual exercise will
make in·your life. Martin Luther once said:· "I have so much to do
today that I must. spend' several hours in prayern.
Third: Resolve to do something for your church, something in a
tangible way to see it grow and expand. Share what you've found here
with your' friend's. Bring them with you. Do something in the church volunteer for some task. We need you. And if you volunteer to do,
do it. Follow through on it. Unt~ld havoc rei~ris in a church when
you're·counting on people to do something, and they call in at the
last moment and say they can't do it. Don't bec·ome a spiritual.
par~site, all the time coming here to receive' and never givlng o-r
yourself, your time, your talent. If you go through life this way,
you may end up receiving nothing-. There are so many things your
ministers are doing that are useful, things that the laymen should be
doing, which if they did would pe·rmit us to do the things that are
nee·dful ••••• to become more involved in your lives and the nroblems
that you fac·e, more in terms of calling, counselling, listening,
preaching. However as long as you nlac'e these things upo '1 our
shoulders, things you could do, we 9.re prevented from doing the th ;_ngs
are needful.
·
- 5 These three things I. hope each of you will resolve to do.
They will help to maintain the spiritual glow in your life, and in
the life of your church. Remember that maintenanc·e of the faith is
a year round .job •••••• winter and summer, fo:Jll and spring. I think
that these months of January and February will be a good test of
our will and' our desire to resnond. The work that we do hera in this
C'hurc:h will probably be the greatest work we shall ever do in a
lifetime in Kingdom building. We ne·ad more men and woman who are
willing to give of themselves, never stopnlng to count the cost,
save that of knowing that they are doing of the Master. Let us
not allow slackne-ss to spoil the work that we have struggle so hard
to achieve. Keep the fires burning as we enter into another ·year,
a year I hope and pray will be the greate&~t·.yea:C'iln:.:our::Jrives
together 1~ this church of Christ that we love so muC'h.
PRAYER: Our Father and our God, Thou who canst make all things new,
may these moments here this hour, be moments of high resolve- for
each of us •. We need thy help in order to carry out the noble
nurpose which we have envisioned can come to pass in this place.
And may this year ahead be x different from the year that comes to
an end, because we have experienced a more vital faith in Thee. Amen
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