In The Lord’s Service: Entering In
John 15:5
“Yes, I AM the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.”
In my introductory article for this series, I wrote that there is no higher accomplishment that a person can do in life, than being a servant of the Lord. In this article I am going to give you the first step. First steps sometimes can incite differing emotions. Some can cause one to become fearful or intimidated. I remember my first step out of an aircraft in Army jump school. I was confident in the training I had received, but standing in the door ready to exit brought questions of fear to my mind. On the hand, as a young boy with a ticket in my hand, I waited with excitement for the man to open the gate for the ride at the county fair.
To enter something there is usually a requirement. In the two examples above, I had to receive training or have a ticket. Taking the first step to becoming a servant of the Lord is no different. The Father has set the requirements for entry and there is no opportunity for debate, or waiver for exceptions. This first step is seen in the account of Nicodemus coming to Jesus in John chapter three.
John 3:1-2 NASB
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
When I became a Christian, Nicodemus was one of the first characters in the gospels to which I was introduced. I will admit it was his name that first interested me, Nicodemus what a cool name! But also, how he came to Jesus. I have heard many differing opinions, but until I reflected on a life experience that I had undertook, I was not seeing that some things we do in the natural have a spiritual side as well.
It was the second week of my senior year of high school. It seemed to me that the year would never end, and that graduation was becoming a milestone that was quickly losing its value. Since I was thirteen, I had decided that I would join the military. In my immaturity, I devised a shortcut to my dream. It seemed good to me at the time, and secrecy was the key to achieving my goal. I purposely missed the bus, so that I would be given the car to drive myself to school. Time seemed to drag slowly that day. Finally, the last bell sounded, and I ran to the student parking lot to avoid my friends asking for a ride. I raced from school to the recruiting station as if I were Dale Earnhardt on the final lap at Daytona.
Once there I began to tell of my long-held desire to become a U.S. Marine. I made sure to flatter them on their uniforms, and how I considered the Corps better than the other services. I even invoked the name of Chesty Puller. I thought I made a good case; Nicodemus may have felt the same. Then the recruiter said the words that I did not want to hear, “You must finish High School.”
John 3:3 KJV
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
When the Lord told Nicodemus that he must be born again, Nicodemus right away thought of natural birth. I can only imagine the mental wrestling that went on in his head. His questions to Jesus that followed show this. “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (John 3:4) The Lord gave Nicodemus and everyone that has ever been born on the earth, God’s uncompromising first step.
Nicodemus prior to Jesus coming on the scene, may have thought that he was serving God. He may have, as with most of the religious Pharisees, thought he was righteous. He may have held that because he was a Jew that that would gain him eternal life. And although not at the level of healing the sick, and opening blind eyes, he could find cause to believe that his status as a member of the ruling council, and prominent and learned teacher of the law would put him in good standing with God. But our Master declared this Truth when He taught on the mountain near Capernaum.
Matt. 7:21-23 NKJV
“Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord shall enter the Kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”
“Not everyone who say?” This tells me that to meet the requirement, it must be done God’s way. (John 14:6, Matthew 7:13,14) And that it may be possible for some to have a spectacular ministry, use the scriptures and the name of Jesus, but be lost as a golf ball in high weeds. Just as there were some in Jesus’ day that thought they were in, today we have them as well. Then it was “We are Abraham’s children.” Today it is, “Yes I am a Christian, I’m an American.” Then it was hypocritical accusations of not following the Law, today it is external legalism in rules. Entrance is never granted based on nationality, charitable deeds, or rules.
Ephesians 2:8,9 NKJV
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
If you have not accepted this gift yet, please do. If you have, then in keeping with Paul’s use of the metaphor of a soldier to illustrate the duties of a servant of the Lord, it is time for boot camp.
2 Timothy 2:3
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.