So You Want to be Remembered?

By Gobel Brockman

     There is a story in the Bible that I find extremely interesting. This story took place just a few days before the betrayal, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus:

     When Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment and poured it on His head as He sat at supper. When His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “For what purpose is this waste? This ointment might have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” When Jesus perceived it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor always with you, but you do not always have Me. In pouring this ointment on My body, she did it for My burial. Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will be told in memory of her.” - Matthew 26:6-13

     We can see lessons in this story that we would do well to remember today. You will notice that this woman came into the presence of Jesus with a jar of expensive ointment and immediately poured it onto Jesus. What I'd like you to notice is the first thing that happened afterward: "When His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, 'For what purpose is this waste? This ointment might have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.'" Let this point sink in:

     Her act of worship to Jesus was immediately criticized. Not because of what she did, but for how much it cost her.

     I want to make a very simple point this week: if you are intent on worshiping the Lord with all of your heart, be prepared to have people tell you things such as, "You're being too radical! You don't have to be such a fanatic about this "church stuff" all the time!" What's even worse is that these criticisms will often come from "His disciples" exactly as this dear lady faced. But what we need to remember is that Jesus immediately came to her defense - and He will indeed come to our defense as well. Jesus told His disciples, "She has done a good work for Me." Jesus went on to say that what she did would be remembered wherever the gospel was preached. (By telling her story in this devotional this week, the words of Jesus are once again fulfilled.) I want to look again at the sequence of events:

     *She offered an extremely costly sacrifice of worship to Jesus.

     *She was harshly criticized for her worship.

     *Jesus came to her defense, received her worship, and honored her with the promise that her worship would be remembered.

        I believe that those who are followers of Jesus want the things we do for Him to matter. We want others to remember and be blessed by our acts of worship and service. We would do well to remember, however, that we should expect to be insulted, rejected, and sharply criticized at times for the sacrifices we make. This woman wasn't deterred from her worship though, and neither should we be deterred from being willing to pay any price to please the Lord. There is another aspect of this story as well that I want to quickly mention: I believe that as Jesus hung on the cross just a few days later, He could still smell the fragrance of this lady's sacrifice. Not only did others remember her sacrifice, SO DID HE.

     Jesus will remembers our sacrifices of worship as well - provided we are willing to face the insults we will receive as a result. Being remembered by the Lord is worth the price.

Don't Pray It If You Don't Mean It

By Gobel Brockman


     Several years ago my wife and I sang in a Gospel group that played in many churches in our area. Many times I would preach afterward as well. There was one church in particular that scheduled us on a fairly regular basis, and they always asked me to preach. On one particular occasion, however, the Pastor called me and specifically told me, "For this service, instead of having your group come and sing I just want you to preach, and I need to speak with you after the service." After the service we went into his office where he told me that due to health issues, he was going to have to step down as Pastor. He then went on to tell me, "I've spoken with the Elder Board of the church, and they are 100% in agreement with me that we would like for you to take over as Pastor here."

     I had just received credentials as a minister, and his offer immediately interested me. My mind instantly began thinking of ways to begin growing the church and "do the work of the ministry." But I gave him the answer that is expected in situations like this: "Give me a couple of days to pray about it." He agreed, and I told him that I would call him as soon as I felt I had a definite answer from the Lord. I immediately went to prayer that day thinking that it was a mere formality, but it wasn't very long before the Holy Spirit clearly spoke to my heart about the situation:

"NO."

     "No?" "NO??" It didn't make sense to me. This church was a recent church plant that had several good, God-loving people in it. The area was a wide-open opportunity for growth. I was willing to step into the calling and give it my best. Everything seemed to be in place for my next step into fulfilling the call of God on my life. So what happens when the opportunity finally comes?

"NO." 

     I prayed and asked God why not, and the Holy Spirit gave me a very simple answer: "This is not the place I have called you to be, and if you take the position it will do more harm than good."

     At that point, I knew that there was no doubt that I had received my answer. I also knew that I had a choice to make. All I had to do was tell that Pastor "Yes" and the position was mine. So was I going to go with what I thought made sense, or was I going to do what I knew God wanted me to do? Thankfully I picked up the phone and made one of the hardest phone calls that I've ever made. But it was also one of the best phones calls I've ever made.

     You see, we're all familiar with the story of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane just before his crucifixion and resurrection when He prayed, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." (Matthew 26:39) It may have been possible, but it wasn't God's will, and just as Jesus had to pray that prayer, so do we. We may never travel to Israel and visit Gethsemane, but if you're serious about living for Jesus, you're definitely going to have your Gethsemane moments.

     What's your Gethsemane right now? Praying about a career change and can't feel peace about it? Trying to talk God into letting you enter a relationship with someone who isn't living for the Lord, but you're sure "you can turn them around?" Are you trying to go forward with your "Yes" when you know the Holy Spirit is saying "No" to your idea? Whatever it is, let me encourage you with a simple thought: God knows what He's doing. Even though it made no sense to me then, I look back now and I am so thankful that I listened to the will of God instead of going my own way. I am awestruck and humbled by the doors that God has opened - and continues to open - for my life and ministry. I am fulfilled and content. Had I listened to my own opinion instead of God's direction, God only knows what might have happened.  

     My message today is simple: don't enter your Gethsemane and pray the prayer, "Not my will, but Yours be done" unless you're prepared to prove that you mean it. The good news is that praying that prayer - and meaning it - will be the best thing you've ever done. God's way is indeed the best way.

A Life Worth Dying For

By Gobel Brockman



     I've been thinking a lot recently about a verse of Scripture that many Christians can quote from memory. It is found in Revelation 12:11, and it says this:

     "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony..."

     That is a powerful statement indeed. There is overcoming power in the blood of Jesus Christ that will cleanse us from all sin, as stated in 1 John 1:7. There is also power in the word of our testimony when we proclaim the greatness and the glory of what the Lord has done in our lives. But what I have been thinking about lately is how that there is another part to Revelation 12:11 that we don't hear quoted as often:

     "...and they loved not their lives unto the death."

     Yes, there is power in the blood of Jesus. Yes, there is power in our testimony. But that verse - when read in its entirety - tells us of another power to be found: the power of the crucified life. As Christians, I believe we sometimes forget that the call of Christ involves a cross for us to carry. If I may be so bold, I'm going to make a strong statement here that I believe needs to be made: 

     We Christians are sometimes far too attached to this world.

     German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer stated it well when he said, "When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die." Jesus said it even better in Luke 9:23:

     Then (Jesus) said to them all, “If anyone will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

    Note that He said "daily." In what we refer to as "The Lord's Prayer" Jesus told us to ask for "our daily bread." We seem to be quite OK with that, but I can't help but ask myself if I'm just as ready to accept "His daily cross" as I am "His daily bread." If I'm going to truly be His disciple, I can't separate them. You see, we are told in Hebrews 9:27 that "it is appointed unto man to die once, and after this the judgment." The simple truth is that this life that we are trying to hold on to will one day end. But as disciples of Jesus Christ, our hope will NEVER end. The Bible tells us that "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 15:19 that "if in this life only that we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most miserable." 

     That's not to say that there is no hope or joy in this life for those who follow Jesus. In 1 Peter 1:8 we are told, "In (Jesus), though you do not see Him now, you believe and you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." I'm not sad, depressed, or discouraged in my walk with Christ - I have unspeakable joy! The power and presence of the Holy Ghost is with me every moment, and it is that joy that enables me to consider taking up my cross and following Jesus a worthwhile journey. There is great joy, peace, love, and hope in my faith in Christ - a hope that this world that I often try too hard to hold on to could ever give me. My prayer for myself - and for you - is that we will always remember that and be willing to live our lives for Jesus with absolute abandon and no reservation.

     It truly is a life worth dying for.

Good News Fixes Bad News

By Gobel Brockman

     John Newton (1725-1807) was a former captain of slave ships. After his conversion to Christ he later became ordained as an evangelical Anglican cleric and served Olney, Buckinghamshire for two decades. During his ministry he once said this:

     "There is no fool like the sinner, who prefers the toys of earth to the happiness of heaven. He is held in bondage by the foolish customs of the world, more afraid of the breath of man than the wrath of God."

     "Again, man in his natural state is a beast. He looks no higher than to sensual gratifications. What shall we say of mothers destroying their children with their own hands, or of the horrid act of self murder! Men are worse than beasts, likewise in their obstinacy; they will not be warned. If a beast escapes from a trap, he will be cautious how he goes near it again. But man, though he be often reproved, hardens his neck; he rushes upon his ruin with his eyes open and can defy God to His face and dare damnation."

     Very strong words - and very true words. There is little room for misinterpretation when messages are this plain and this direct. But what really makes the above quote interesting to me are some other words that John Newton wrote that are immeasurably more famous:

     Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

     That saved a wretch like me;

     I once was lost but now I'm found

     Was blind but now I see!

     'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear

     And grace my fears relieved;

     How precious did that grace appear

     The hour I first believed.

     What a contrast! In the first quote, we are confronted with the sinfulness of man. In the second, we read lyrics to a song that is still sang in churches every single week and see the graciousness and love of our God. In these two quotes we see not a contradiction, but a truth that we all must confront: we are all born into sin. Not weaknesses, not shortcomings, but sin. It's a word we don't like to hear or talk about much, but it is just as real as it has ever been. In this day of seeker-sensitive religion where the last thing we seemingly want to do is offend people, we need to hear the truth – sin has consequences, both in this life and in eternity to come. Mankind suffers the painful results of our sin in this life, and Hell (another truth we rarely hear of anymore) is just as real as it's ever been.

     But that is only part of the truth. The other part is immeasurably more beautiful. The holy God who will be the judge of all mankind is also a loving God who extends grace to all who will accept it. You see, mankind left to himself is wretched, and only God can take a wretch and turn him into a new creation. Only God can open spiritually blinded eyes and cause them to see the goodness of God. Only God can set men free from the ravages of sin – in this life and for all of eternity. As the Lord said in Isaiah 1:18:

     "Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it." (MEV)

     If you're trying to "straighten yourself up" let me assure you that it's a futile endeavor. If your life right now matches the first John Newton quote above, I encourage you with everything within me to take full advantage of the second John Newton quote above. I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ in 1981, and I can tell you both from Scripture and from my own experience that you will find out that His grace is quite amazing.

     Good news indeed.