Action and Obedience — Duncan Campbell

Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 21. We shall read a few verses, beginning at verse 1. Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 21, reading a few verses. And when they do nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethpage, unto the Mount of Olives, Then sent Jesus to disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her.

Loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say aught unto you, he shall say, The Lord hath need of them, and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, behold, by king cometh unto thee, meet, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt, the sole of an ass.

And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, and brought the ass and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. May God add his blessing to that short reading from his word.

Action and Obedience to God's Will

The burden that is on my heart this evening is that of a message on action and obedience. Action and obedience. Action in dealing with all in my life and in your life that stands now contrary to the will of God.

And that means God leading me to deal with obedience to the voice that speaks from heaven. And oh, may heaven's voice be heard in this meeting beyond the voice of mere man. So I take you to that passage just read,.

And the disciples went, and did what Jesus had commanded them. This is a story in the life of Christ that to me speaks of a need, and how that need was met by the free obedience of two disciples. How often obedience has opened at our conventions and at other conventions the floodgates of heaven, bringing down upon the gathering the blessing of almighty God.

My prayer is that obedience on my part and upon your part may open the floodgates of glory and pleasure with a sense of God that brings that in the glory of God and in your life that is contrary to the will of God.

Obedience as the Condition of Blessing

Now let me say first of all that we must ever regard obedience as a fundamental condition for blessing, something, a truth that must never be disregarded. Further, let me say this, that there is no moral virtue in obedience unless there is a recognition of a higher authority in the one who dictates and calls me to obedience.

I want you very clearly to understand that obedience presupposes an unreserved yielding to the claims of Jesus Christ. I want to underline that because blessing will depend upon the measure that I'm prepared to listen to the voice that speaks from heaven and obey that voice.

You recall when the great Apostle Paul found himself prostrating the presence of God on that Damascus road. What did he pray? What was his reaction to the revelation that came to him that could only be explained on the basis of the supernatural?

How did he react? Did he say, I wonder if I ought to make a decision? No, that was not his immediate reaction. He cried, Lord, wilt thou have me to do? I want to ask now, are we there this evening and to this convention meeting with a consuming desire to meet with God in stock of devils?

Oh, I said that before. I suppose I shall say it again. Have we come to this meeting tonight with purpose and with intention to listen to the voice that Paul of Tarsus listened to? You recognize this?

That in that supreme moment he recognized the condition and bowed before the authority that spoke from heaven. Lord, thou wilt come to men and women in this meeting. You are supremacist, and I bow in contrition, in repenting humility, before your voice.

Now, you remember that it is said of Abraham that he obeyed and received an inheritor. You remember that of the disciples it is said they obeyed God rather than to turn the world upside down. You see, through obedience their life became, would I say, a walking incarnation of spiritual energy.

And as they moved out to the villages, to the streets, to the courts, some little time ago with reference to Socrates, men of philosophy, I hold you in reverence. I will obey God rather than you. Tell me, friends, are we going to obey God again?

But blessings will depend on how we react to the voice from heaven. Now, this is a very suggestive passage. Now, I want to direct your attention, and it must be brief, to three thoughts suggested. First of all, the passage speaks of a need.

It also speaks of how that need was met, and what was involved in the obedience that met the need. First of all, the need itself. The Lord hath a need. Now, here is an expression of need that must be a cause of wonder.

God's Need for Watchmen and Intercessors

Not the God who created the universe and through world good ever, not the wealth of the world at his disposal. Here we have the Lord's expression to a need. And I want to say that expression of need hath gone ringing down the corridors of time.

And I believe that as angels and archangels gaze over the battlements of glory, they whisper, our God has a need. And I venture to say as they look upon this gathering, they are wondering if God is going to be met.

Well, my friend, that depends upon you. It depends upon me. God is in me. There is a very arresting word in the prophecy of Isaiah. I looked, and there was none to help. I wondered that there was two of hope.

There you have a cry, a need that has at its very heart a sense of urge for a man to stand in the gap. I cannot take time to deal with the gaps, but there are gaps today. And there are gaps that only to note that among the gifts mentioned in Corinthians, references made to the gift of health.

God said he looked for a man that would help him sustain the gap. He couldn't find him. But I believe that I am speaking to some here this evening. You may not have the gift of a preacher. You may not have the eloquence of a prophet.

You may not know the gift that leads you to be a good organizer. But my brother, my sister, you can know the gift for God in the place of prayer to stand for God of God and stand upon this. Look for a man to stand in the gap and cry in surrendering.

Have we been lowering our standards to worldly conformity? Have we been courting the world, the flesh, and the devil? And tonight, God from heaven is saying, I want you to stand for truth. I want you to stand for godliness.

Are you standing for godliness? I want you to stand for holiness. I want you to stand by the side of people who came to destroy the works of the devil. Oh, tell me, friend, are the works of the devil being destroyed in your life?

I believe that God is looking, for might heaven cry at this moment. Well, may heaven cry to the faith mission convention in Edinburgh. Give me men to match my mountain. Give me men to match my plain. Men with empires in their purpose, men with era in their brain.

Give me men to plead for nations like Elijah on his knees, who in hour of God's heavenly breeze. Give me men of faith and vision, stripped of every earthly gain, till across our harsh valley, dark will roll, God's clouds of hate.

God is seeking that man. Will you be that man tonight? Say now, where you're sitting, oh my dear people, let's get down to reality. We are listening to a sermon. Oh, may God enable us to listen to God, feel the sentiments, get into the realm of reality.

God is here, and I'm here to do business with God. I'm not here to play a convention. I'm not here to play at making decisions. I'm here to meet with God. I'm here to have sin dealt. I'm here to honor the crown rights of our Redeemer.

My dear people, are we there? Some of us are tired of ordinary things. May God get us into the realm of the extraordinary. I wonder, will you be just that man? And because you have met with God, because sin has been dealt with, because the spirit of repentance has gripped your soul, and you desire above everything else to be right with God, why you will leave this convention?

As I already said of walking incarnation, of spiritual energy that will shake again the trembling gates of the caverns of death. My dear people, are we there? Henry Ward Richard, that great American preacher, was once asked, what is the secret of your wonderful ministry?

How is it that you have experienced almost perpetual revival? What is his answer? Did he say my teaching did it? Did he say my organization did it? Did he say the denomination to which I belong did it?

He looked his questioner in the face and said, brother, excellent reflectors in the pure. That's greater than preaching. That's greater than human organization. Men and women going from this conduct to reflect Jesus, to reflect Jesus, to reflect Jesus.

Oh my brother, my sister, tell me, is that your desire? Is that your consuming ambition? Is that your supreme aspiration? Then I say, action. I would not have told it wouldn't. Magic. And perhaps we'll be here till midnight.

God's Sovereignty and Human Response

Amen. Now that takes me to my next thought. How was the need met? He expressed a need. How was it met? Well I must be true to the word of God and declare that first of all it was met by the sovereignty and the full knowledge of God.

God knew that an act was there. Jesus said you'll find the act there. You'll find the act there. It's a cult there. And Jesus knew the day and Jesus knew the hour. The soul and the sovereignty of God in the affairs of man.

He knew, I often think, of the words of Glover, every man's life. My brother, my sister, full knowledge of God. God has a plan for you. I didn't believe that. I wouldn't stand. God has a plan for you.

But listen, it all depends on your reaction when God puts his plan into your hands. It comes to my mind just now a story I didn't intend telling you but I feel I ought to. It refers to the great Dr. Chalmers, the leader of the disruption of 1843 when he led that great church out of the wilderness into a life of usefulness for God.

Dr. Chalmers is visiting in the north of Scotland. On this occasion they spend the night in a certain hotel. After supper the proprietor of the hotel came to him and said, Dr. Chalmers, will you conduct family worship?

That was their custom. Dr. Chalmers took the book and read the portion, fell on his knees for the hour. The proprietor is right from the get-go. Just as he touched the floor, according to his own diet, as he touched the floor, a voice spoke to him and said, speak to the proprietor.

Speak to the proprietor. He's unsaved. Oh, he had family worship. He was a good man. There can be a good man unsaved. Natural goodness is in Christian virtue. But another voice spoke of the ears of Chalmers so that said, Chalmers, the moment isn't opportune.

They're very busy tonight. The number of guests in and others are coming. They're busy. And he listened to the voice of a tempter and went to his bed. At midnight he heard a stir in the house. On coming down to breakfast he was told that the proprietor had died.

He tells her that he went back to his room. No breakfast for him that morning. And he knelt by the bedside and he tells her that the pillow was wet with his tears as he cried. My God, the moment was opportune, but I missed it.

That was God's mercy. That was God's mercy. But on the path of salvation, to the proprietor. Oh, tonight, my friend, if God has a plan, if God has a program, if God brought you to this meeting tonight to have a word with you from heaven, they go in the interest of your immortal soul and in the interest of men and women that you will touch tomorrow and the next day.

Men that you may influence for good and for God. Miss it! And you may help the devil to jam. Serious, my dear people, you dare not turn a dead ear. Oh, you dare not. How very solemn, oh, how very solemn are the words found in the book of Ezekiel, son of man.

I have set thee a watchman to the house of Israel. He vowed not to seek to warn the wicked. That wicked person shall die in his mouth, his blood. I will require God. God cries for labor. God, you disobey, and that influence may pass that soul and pass that soul forever.

My dear people, God needs you. Was the talisman on this occasion. I am not for a moment suggesting that me must ever be the motivating principle. I'm not suggesting that. I believe that the glory of the crown must ever drive me to do something at home or abroad.

But on this occasion, it's obvious that there was a need, and there was a need. He expressed it, expressed it. The Lord hath a need. Then I would say tonight that that claim must ever be regarded as paramount, supreme, beyond.

Listen friends, he has a need in your village. He has a need in your home. He has a need in the ranks of the faith mission. In the ranks of the mission in Canada, South Africa, places of the earth. God, now I want to say because it is made heavenly upon my heart, that that need is mortal souls, the immortal souls of others.

That's in your home. That's in your home. Just enough. Oh, just enough. Yes, but that little insignificant animal is serviceable. Have you got that? Serviceable. And I believe that the hand of God is now touching someone, and someone is saying, well, I can't be a prophet, I can't be a preacher, but I'm building myself to be a helper, just to be a helper.

Oh, I can help someone. I will be in the glory because I got the gift of help. My own mother, oh, she loved to go to the prayer meeting, but oh, she could help, and she could help to make the key of the prayer union annual meeting.

And she could help by speaking a word for Jesus. She could help by falling on her knees. You know, the night that God saved me, Mary Grimm and Jesse Moules were conducting a mission. When I came home that night, mother was on her knees.

Oh, she could help. She could help God. I say it reverently. She could help God to touch that son, and God did. God did. By the conviction that I, my friend, can serve. If you can be of service, be it in the home, in the village, in the church, in the mission, be it among your daily duties, then I say, if you're sincere, that should determine your action and your obedience.

Loosing What Binds the Believer

My time is almost gone. What was involved in their obedience? First of all, a recognition of the fact that what was to meet the need must be loosed. Now, this is important. I wish I had an hour to deal with it.

It must be loosed. Tell me, brother, tell me, sister, what in your life is binding, exciting you now? There's a very arresting word in the book of Job. Are the constellations of God small with thee? Is there any secret thing with thee?

Tell me, friend, do you live to think lightly of the constellations of God? Isn't it a wonder that you're saved? Were it not for the mercy of God, you might be doomed and damned forever, keeping company with damned souls and damned spirits in hell.

But your fear of this convention has saved. So, do you think lightly of the constellations of God? Do you think lightly of the fact that God has given you an opportunity to serve him? That God has chosen you to be a witness, an ambassador in an alien land?

God has placed that honor upon you. Are the constellations of God light in your eyes? Ah, but there's a double-barreled question here that I want to touch. Is there any secret thing with thee? Someone has said that the greatest hindrance to revival is not loose living, but secret things.

Is there any secret thing with thee? I want you to face that. It's important. Oh, how many of us are bound, bound by ministers. A prominent minister at a conference in Oxford some years ago came to my room and said this, and there was tears streaming from his eyes.

I'm living in constant fear that I've done that. I'm living in constant fear that I, I may be speaking to someone, and you're living in constant fear that you'll be found out. Is there any secret thing with thee?

My brother, my sister, drag you to the light, for God needs you. Oh, God needs you, and God waits to be gracious. I love that passage that I used to speak from frequently, but unfortunately it got into one of my books, The Sermon, and I'm somewhat bound about giving it again.

If you remember the message that I gave once, if you will, at this convention, where it says, He that doeth truth cometh to the light. I remember the morning that God gave that verse to me. He that doeth truth cometh to the light.

He will live no longer under any self-created delusion. He will stand and say truth with unqualified honesty. If there's sin in the camp am I bound? Am I special? Oh, I didn't mention this sin, that sin, or the other.

Oh, my brother, you're going to face it tonight. I'm persuaded. I'm persuaded. You're going to meet the need tonight. I'm fully persuaded. Ah, but there was another thing involved, the obedience, the recognition of the lordship of Christ.

The Lordship of Christ in Complete Surrender

These are wonderful words. Oh, listen to this. The lord, the lord, the lord of glory, the lord who conquered death and hell on Calvary, the lord, are you prepared to recognize his lordship? Are you prepared to say tonight, Lord of my life, I have crowned thee now with glory.

Away from now, away from now, this crowd, my God, give expression to the longing of your heart in the words that I now quote. Will you listen to them? Now abdicate my vain self-will. The sector, Lord, is thine.

Now reign and with thy spirit fill this yielded heart of mine. Thus sanctify. May I possess the Lord. You see, the need was met by a high obedience. Oh, your need, young people, are you going to ask? Are you going to bow before his authority?

Are you going to heal beneath his sovereignty? Are you going to sanctify the sector, the sector? Oh, my God, I make that surrender now. I make it now. We are going to name him.