The year: 1955 – the country: Ecuador – the mission: to reach a primitive tribe known as the Aucas. These were the most violent people group known to human kind at the time. No one from the outside had ever made peaceful contact with the Aucas. Enter Jim Elliott, Nate Saint and three other young men from the United States. These five young men, all who were married and most who had children were ready to rise their lives to take the gospel to those who had never heard it and may even be hostile. Jim Elliott said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” He was “willing to die for the salvation of the Aucas.” In the book, “From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya” Nate Saint thought he had an inferior call. He felt that he was simply a grease monkey for Jesus. The story is told early in the history of mission’s aviation that Nate was sent to Mexico to repair a plane that had crashed. The parts had been collected in bushel baskets and awaited for Nate to arrive. It was said that for Nate to do that in an airplane hangar would be one thing, but to do it on the mission field, under the worst of conditions was nothing short of a miracle. Nate went on to devise some ingenious devices for future aviation missionaries. He designed an alternative fuel system and also devised the bucket drop system. Both which are still in use today. But that’s not why we remember him. In January of 1955, before the rainy season begun in the jungles, these five men landed on a small sandy beach in the heart of Ecuador to take the gospel to the Auca. A plane ride was given and they shared peanut butter sandwiches. However although the initial contact was good, it all went horribly wrong. Sometime after their arrival, six men came out of the jungle and killed the five aviation missionaries. Some would call what unfolded a tragedy. But is it, was it a tragedy? We’ll see at the message unfolds.
God calls all of His children to serve Him. The text for this message comes from Jeremiah 1. In verses 4 and 5, Jeremiah is given this message. “The Lord gave me this message: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
Even before we were born, God had a plan for our lives. So many people think that salvation is simply a ticket to heaven, but there is so much more. Church, we were not saved simply to sit in the pews and soak up teaching. We have been saved to serve. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” There is no room in the Kingdom of God for benchwarmers – everyone must be in the game. Not only were we saved to serve, but God has gifted us to serve in His Kingdom. Paul writes in Romans 12:6-8, “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”
You see this series of sermons, is really related to subjects that we have looked at over the past few weeks. God has given each one of us a gift to serve him. As was presented humorously in the video, sometimes we try to do things that are way outside of our gifting. None of us have been called to do everything, but each of us has been called to do something.
As I mentioned earlier, we are often reluctant to accept God’s call. In Jeremiah 1:6, Jeremiah makes this excuse, “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” Nate Saint thought he had an inferior call. He thought that being a grease monkey for Jesus wouldn’t get him very far in the Kingdom. What we discover, is that in the long run, many of the innovations that Mr. Saint discovered helped take the gospel to greater numbers of people. Nate Saint had a five year old boy when he was killed. Several years after the missionary massacre, Rachel Saint, Nate’s sister was able to become a missionary to the Aucas. In time many of the tribe came to know Jesus as Savior. In fact, one of the killers, is now the pastor of the tribe and baptized Nate Saint’s son Steve and at the passing of Steve’s Aunt Rachel, the tribe formerly known as the Auca (or the savage) invited Steve to come be part of their tribe and continue to spread the gospel through the jungles of Ecuador. Today this tribe is not known as “The Savage,” but as the Waodoni or (the people) Just think if Nate Saint would have abandoned his call to be the best airplane pilot he could be. These people would have never received Jesus and known true peace. Why are we reluctant to follow God’s call to serve?
1. Reluctance may be based on past failures – in our culture, we don’t have much tolerance for failure. But, many famous people had failure after failure after failure. Yes, failure is tough, but we need to get up and try in spite of past failures. Sometimes we even don’t follow God’s call because we might fail. How do we know if we are going to fail, if we don’t try?
2. Reluctance may be based on our upbringing – perhaps when you were growing up, you were taught certain things and you felt, I could never do that for God. Some may say, but I’m too far gone to be used of God. I’ve done to many bad things to be used of God. The hope is that God can use us no matter what our past or our upbringing – we can rise above it with God’s help.
3. Reluctance may be based on unrealistic expectations – in my own life, I never though it possible that I would be able to preach, week in and week out. I never thought it would be possible to stand and speak to a group of people. I remember my first speech in high school – it was a complete and utter disaster. There was no way God was calling me to preach (or was He?)
4. Reluctance may be based on faulty theology – Some would say that only certain people are called to serve God – the reality is that if you are saved – you are called to serve God and you should be serving God. Like I mentioned before – there is no room in the Kingdom of God for pewsitters.
5. Reluctance may be overcome by thinking more positively. Paul writes to Timothy, “Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses. 13 And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.”
6. Reluctance may be overcome by taking responsibility. Jeremiah took responsibility to follow God’s commandment. Think also of the prophet Jonah. He ran from God and was reluctant to follow God’s call, but after an encounter with God, he took responsibility to follow through.
When God called us from our life of sin, he saved us so that we can serve him. We may be reluctant to follow, but it is those time that we need to remember that God has a plan for us to serve him effectively. Let’s go back to Jeremiah one more time, verse 7 through 9, “7 The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” 9 Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth!
This morning, we can know that God has called all of us to serve him and that we can serve him through His grace. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” It is not on our own that we serve God, it is only through His grace and even though we may know that His grace works within us, we may not think we have the strength. Listen as God speaks to Jeremiah in verse 18. “For see, today I have made you strong like a fortified city that cannot be captured, like an iron pillar or a bronze wall. You will stand against the whole land-the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah.” It is not in our own strength that we serve God. In fact, Paul said it is in our weakness that we are made strong.
Amanda was a typical teenager. She blushed at the thought of cute boys and giggled through the night with her friends at sleepovers. During Amanda’s junior year in high school she had the opportunity to go to Malawi, Africa, to help with orphaned children. It had been her dream to go to Africa and use her gifts to reach these heart-broken children. She worked hard at raising financial and prayer support. She got her shots, her passport, and even a comfortable airplane pillow for the long flight. But several weeks before she was scheduled to leave, Amanda was overwhelmed with fear and doubt. What was she going to be able to do for these children; she was only a kid herself. One afternoon her pastor found her sitting alone in the church. As he sat down next to her he knew she was nervous about the trip. He encouraged her that God would not carry her all the way to Africa just to drop her there. God answers faithfulness and obedience with His love and His strength. You may feel overwhelmed today by the problems you see in the world. You may feel helpless to make a difference. But God isn’t requiring you to work alone. He will use your gifts beyond your wildest imagination . . . if your offer them.
