Conference for Missionaries-1986 - Part 5 — William MacDonald

Maybe I should say at the outset that I won't be the least bit offended if you men who are wearing coats would like to take them off. And I think the Lord wouldn't mind either. I think he'd rather you be comfortable.

Somebody said to me this morning. It was going to be 98 and I've been roasting ever since they said that. Once again to the staff and to all of you for the wonderful time here at the conference. Days of heaven on earth and they come to an end all too quick.

The Judgment Seat of Christ and the Ministry of Reconciliation

Would you turn in your Bibles? This morning, please the second Corinthians. I'd like to begin reading in verse 10 second Corinthians. Appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in his body.

According to that he has done whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men. But we are made manifest unto God and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

So we come in not ourselves again unto you. But give you occasion to glory on our behalf that he may have somewhat to answer them with glory in appearance and not in heart. But whether we be beside ourselves it is to God or whether we be sober it is for your cause.

For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then we're all dead. And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves. But unto him which died for them and rose again.

Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore of any man be in Christ. He is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new.

And all things are of God who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. To wit that God was in Christ Reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ's dead being reconciled to God for he has made him to be sin for us. Who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him?

Spiritual 20-20 Vision Through Corrective Lenses

I'd like to speak to you this morning on 2020 vision chosen a different text. Because you're really fine 2020 vision in John 20 20. You know what? It says. Says then where the disciples glad when they saw the board that's 2020 vision, isn't it?

Actually in a physical sense. No one has perfect vision. Many of you I see are not wearing glasses. So that's fine you have your vision is quite adequate, but they tell me that the Curvature of the eyeball is not perfect in anyone because nothing's perfect in this life.

And everybody has a stigmatism to one extent or another. But most of you are getting by handsomely. I see some in the audience who are wearing glasses and probably some have lenses that I can't see you don't have.

Sometimes you have to go to the optometrist or the eye doctor and Some of you will know what I'm talking about. I go there and he sits me down in a chair and it's kind of a long narrow dark room. And he puts kind of a gadget in front of my eyes.

He closes this eye all together and here's a hole. This I and he says to me now, mr. McDonald What do you see on the chart? And I say what chart is that doctor? And He says my this is really a serious case.

We've got to do something about that so he starts flipping lenses into that Machine, whatever it is. I wish I knew the name of and he says now, what do you see? Well, all I can think of is the verse that says I see men as trees walking or trees as men walk.

It's all very vague and obscure to me. So he keeps flipping lenses in and you know pretty soon. Everything's clear. Everything is clear and I can read the line on the chart. Does it? 2020 vision. Wonderful, isn't it?

I would like to suggest to you in the passage of Scripture. We Read today that there are seven Correctional lenses that God has for us to give us 2020 spiritual vision. Lenses and the first one is in verses 11 through 13 Knowing therefore the terror or fear of the Lord.

The Fear of the Lord and the Reality of Hell

Now actually, I'm going to take those words out of context. And in doing so I'm going to explain it to you in the context when Paul says knowing Therefore the fear of the Lord we persuade men. He's not speaking about the fact of hell that's what I'm going to use it for all is saying in verses 11 through 13 is that Knowing the fear having a reverential awe of God.

He persuades men as to the integrity of his ministry. That's what he's really talking about. The integrity of his ministry there was nothing there was no hocus-pocus about his ministry. Everything was aboveboard.

He was a man of character ministering the Word of God in power. Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord we persuade men that we are made manifest unto God and I trust also Are made manifest in your consciences notice.

So we come in not ourselves unto you. But give you occasion to glory on our behalf that he may have somewhat to answer them with glory and appearance and not in heart. And so forth. He's talking about his own ministry there.

But I'd like to use this passage knowing there for the terror of the Lord As a correctional lens that you and I should have in our spiritual glasses. That is the fact of hell and let me say this that when we come to that expression Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord.

I oftentimes think that nowadays when we talk about the fear of the Lord we explain it away. We say well, it doesn't mean fear. You know it means reverence and it means awe and all of that and by the time we get through there isn't enough left in The verse to make soup for a sick grasshopper.

I believe in the fear of the Lord. I Think we ought to fear Displeasing him don't you I? Don't want to know the chastening hand of God in my life. It's really something to fear so don't explain away the fear of the Lord live with it Before you but knowing therefore the fear of the Lord the fact of hell.

I would like to suggest to you today That every one of us should have a correctional lens in our spiritual glasses and which we see the burning fires Of never stop to think about hell. You know it's really a doctrine in the Bible.

That I wouldn't believe if I didn't find it in the Bible because I don't want to believe it. But I have to believe it because the Word of God says so. It says the smoke of their torment Ascendeth up forever and ever it says where their worm Dyeth not and the fire is not quite and I want to tell you something today if there's no hell there's no heaven.

Because the same Lord Jesus who spoke about heaven spoke even more about hell. And we should think about that and we should we should think about loved ones and neighbors and friends Who are outside of Christ and who are bound eternity in hell.

It's really a tremendously sobering Something what would happen if the Church of Jesus Christ really grasped the truth of hell. I wonder if there's some letter that some of us here should write this afternoon.

I wonder if there's some phone call that we should make. I Wonder if there's someone to which we should to whom we should send some Christian literature something explaining the way of salvation. Because of Tremendous fact the fact of hell Eternity you say that literal fire in hell.

I do not become occupied with those Technicalities, I believe it's terrible. Just to think of a place where there's no love isn't that awesome. No compassion. No friendship. No Fellowship none of the things that we value so much in life the positive virtues are not to be found in Hell not one of them.

Some years ago to me as Bible school the Lord was working in a wonderful way among the young people some of the young fellows there some of those fellows are on the mission fields of the world today and They were gripped with the fact of hell and one of them said to me one day and mr. McDonald The story of the rich man in hell.

I did. He said that happened. Let's say Jesus said that a couple of thousand years ago. I guess He said would you say that man is still in hell? Well, I said Larry if you're going to believe the Bible you better say that he said.

Isn't it time we started getting serious about it? And it is to frame that we see the fires of hell and are reminded Gainey that this is the doom of those outside. Is it right to use fear as a motivation in the gospel?

The Love of Christ as the Motive for Christian Service

The answer is yes, it's very right. If God won't pass draw people by love he will drive them by fear and it's a valid fear to a Valid fear and we should never forget it. The second correctional lens is in verses 14 and 15 the love of Christ.

The love of Christ. It's a lovely verse. It says the love of Christ Constraineth us because we thus judge That if one died for all and we're all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto Themselves but unto him who died for them that rose again.

The love of Christ that doesn't mean our love for Christ. Our love of Christ wouldn't constrain a mosquito. It's Christ's love for us, that's the great constraining power, isn't it a Couple of years ago.

I visited David Livingston's home. It's turned into a museum In Scotland and they have a tremendous memorial to David Livingston and on this side of a great plaque. It said the love of Christ Constrains me Paul and on this side.

It said the love of Christ compels me. David Livingston took him out to darkest Africa with the gospel of Redeeming grace the love of Christ. Dear friends there's no motive in all the world as strong as a motive of love and The love of Christ should be the strong that we should be willing to do for Jesus.

What we're not willing to do for the Almighty dollar, isn't that right? We should we should be willing to do for the Lord Jesus what we're not willing to do for. I think of who he is the Lord of life and glory.

Think of what he did. Came down to this planet this infinitesimal Planet and died for a race of rebels. Oh, who am I that for my sake my Lord should take frail flesh and die. What did he do at the cross?

He bought me. I Must never forget that he bought me at the cross of Calvary now. I no longer belong to myself If he bought me and I take my life and use it the way I want to use it. I'm a thief. Because I'm taking something that doesn't belong to me.

I Like that word constraint. It means moves you along and that's what the love of Christ does it moves you along in life. Keeps you motivated to pour out your life for him. What does it say? It says if one died for all then we're all dead.

Why did he die for us because we were alive and kicking on Planet Earth. No, he died for us because we were dead in trespasses and sins. We were helpless. We were hopeless. We were useless. We were worthless and And he didn't die for us so that we would go on living our little petty lives the way we want to live them city.

No, he didn't he died for us so that henceforth we would live for him. What a travesty to see people saved by the grace of God faith to faith in the Lord Jesus and just going out and living the way they want to live.

That isn't why he died. So that henceforth we would live for him who died for us. We're the whole realm of nature mind that we're an offering far too small love. So amazing so divine demands my soul my life.

I'll get it love so amazing so divine demands my soul my life my all. Oh Christ I bleeding hands and feet thy sacrifice for me each wound each tear. Demands my life a sacrifice. For thee dear friends.

Are we constrained in it? Do I have that corrective lens in my glasses today in which I see a cross and On that cross the Lord of life and glory dying for me the friends of I see that day by day. We're going to change the whole tenor of my life.

The Eternal Value of Every Human Soul

Help me on the road to 2020 vision. Correctional lens number three. The value and Eternity therefore henceforth. No, we no man after the flesh. Yay, though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth though we him no more this says that.

That we should have a correctional lens in our glasses, but look on people. Before we were saved we will we would look on people and we see that lady going down the street and say What a ridiculous hairdo.

That's the dumbest hairdo. I think I ever saw we don't say that anymore. We don't look at people as people in the flesh. He said hmm a precious soul for whom Christ died makes a difference doesn't it?

Makes a real difference a precious soul for whom Christ died. Think of the value of a soul. Think of the most Decrepit Ungainly Unlovely person that you've ever met in the world. Maybe you want to go down the skid row.

Maybe that's the place to find this person wallowing around in filth drunk. Remember. It's worth more than all the wealth in the world. If you could take all the diamonds in the world and make a mountain out of them and all the gold and silver and platinum.

And make a mountain out of that and add to it all the stocks and bonds and securities and all the real estate Titles in the world and every other form of wealth in the world you get that great mountain.

And it is a great mountain. And I'm going to tell you that person down skid row is worth more than all. The Lord Jesus put a price on that person at the cross of Calvary and said he's worth my dying for.

Well, if you and I want to be honest, we have to say the price was too high. But we don't deserve that. He should have died for us that he should have paid that price for us. But he did it just the same the value Assault and I want to see the value of us.

So I looked at Calvary and see the Lord dying and he would have died for any one sinner as well as for a race of sinners then I think of the Eternity of a soul. I think that that person is going to live Eternally.

It's never going to be either in conscious punishment or conscious bliss. But I think all the great thing in life is to be used of God to do a work in that person's life. And it is true. I think it's wonderful to be To be used of God to help people physically.

I think that's wonderful. And there are so many professions today that are dedicated to that great. But I think it's wonderful To be the means in God's hand. See a soul saved from sin and one day transformed into the image of the value and Eternity of a soul.

FWH Myers said it. Well, he said only like souls. I see the folk there under Bound who should conquer Slaves who should be kings. Hearing their one hope with an empty wonder sadly contented with a show of things then with a rush the Intolerable craving shivers throughout me like a trumpet call.

Oh to save these to perish for their saving Die for their life be offered for them all. That's the spirit the value and eternity of it all to save these to perish for their saving Die for their life be offered.

I think we should have a corrective lens in our classes. Which were constantly reminded of the value and eternity of souls around us change the whole complexion of our lives change our vision. For the future the fourth correctional lens is in verse 17.

The New Creation and the Purpose of Christian Life

It says therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Some versions say there is a new creation. But either way, you don't have to choose there for if any man be in Christ He is a new creature old things have passed away.

Behold all things have become new. I call this corrective lens the purpose of our creation the purpose of our creation. And that means that I want to look at out on this and say why am I here? Why was I ever born and why was I saved?

Why did God save me? He saved me so that I become an expert in atomic tiddlywinks. There must have been something higher than that. Must have been something higher than that and I think about that and I think only one life.

And how quickly it's going by most of it's gone and only what's done. Here it is, and I'm going to give it up. How am I going to give it up if you read the story of the missionary in China? Standard Oil was looking years ago looking for a man to represent them in China.

And they contacted this missionary he was really a Unusual man and they offered him a very neat salary if he would represent Standard Oil in China, and he he didn't bite for the offer and so they raised a heavy man has a price and they raised the price and he still didn't fight and They raised the price a third time in salary and he wasn't interested and finally they said to him rather in disgust.

What's the matter? Isn't the price enough? He suggests the salary is enough, but the job is too small that makes me think of William Kelly a Great Greek scholar years ago in England and his son he had tutored his son his son went off to the university.

And he was really Expert in Greek and so when he went there the professor said then where did you learn Greek? And he said my uncle William Kelly. So when they had a vacancy there in the Greek department in the university they they Got a little committee together, and they went and visited William Kelly.

They wanted him to to accept a chair there in the university teaching Greek. And William Kelly seemed so casual and so unconcerned about it all and finally one of them said to him. What's the matter? Mr. Kelly don't you want to make a name for yourself in the world?

Yes, he did want to make himself a name for himself in the world. Yeah, the value the purpose of our creation, why am I here? When I get to the end of the journey and look back. What will make me feel satisfied I?

Haven't told the story about that lady out in Minnesota. She had a nice house there in the middle of the prairies and one day She looked out on the horizon with a prairie fire. And it started moving toward her the wind was coming toward her house.

And she was alarmed, but then the wind changed and started blowing away, and so she was no more alarmed. But then the wind changed again, and it came closer, and she realized she had to get out. And she had a lot of prized possessions in that house.

And she went into the bedroom and she grabbed some of her most prized possessions. But then she remembered that she had a lot of silverware in the dining room so she went into the dining room. She had to drop some of the things that she got in the bedroom and grab some of the things she got it.

Well, then she remembered about those expensive vases in the living room. And she went from room to room. Dropping things and picking up other things and according to the story when the fire came laughing at her house.

And she finally had to get out. She had in one hand a well-worn ham bone and the other a bucket of sour milk. Now that may be only a story. It's okay. But I want to tell you. It's possible to go through life and get to the end and have in one hand a well-worn ham bone.

Christ's Command to Reconcile the World to God

And in the other a bucket of sour milk. You can make the spiritual Application. I'm sure why am I here am I really? Fulfilling God's purpose in my life. Correctional lens number five. The plain command of Christ verses 18 and 19.

And all things are of God who has Reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. What does that mean means? He said go go with a message of reconciling. Go and tell sinful men that their sins have created distance between them and God.

But there's a way in which they can be reconciled to God through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ and his work on Calvary's cross. The plain Command of Christ. Have this correctional lens in your glasses.

Jesus commanded love your neighbor as Yourself, I tell you I have a Bible. But there are people all over the world who don't have a Bible. I love them as myself. I'm going to do something about that. They have a Christian literature.

There's no country in the world that has as many books. Concordances. Dictionaries reference books on the Bible. No country has it like the United States. Love your neighbor as yourself. I have the gospel.

I know the way of salvation. People in the over half the world has never heard of man's only hope. Over 7 ,000 people died daily of starvation. But over half the world has never heard of man's only hope.

Jesus said go. And I believe that someday I'm going to stand before him and he's going to say to me what did you do with the Great Commission. You believe that? Who's there? As you 28, what did you do about the Great Commission?

The Responsibility of Those Who Know the Gospel

Correctional lens number six. The responsibility of those who have the answer. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ's head be reconciled to God.

I want to tell you dear friends. It's a serious thing to have the answer and to hoard it His life the reason my life. I first went into the Navy. I was in an air transport squadron. It was a very small group.

Station first in Kansas City fellow there. He was a pilot. His name was Max Knudsen. From Minnesota. And Max had his supper. He had already ordered his steak and he was sitting there eating and reading his paper.

And I sat down and I ordered my supper and had my paper too. And I got a very distinct impression from the Lord speak to Max about his soul. He's eating his supper and he wouldn't appreciate being spoken to supper came.

I began to eat it read the paper and the second time I had a very distinct impression from the I don't know if you Get these impressions. Well, I do. I don't hear audible voices. But I the burden of the Lord is on me and I know it when the Lord's burden is on me.

Said speak to Max about his office Lord. He's reading the paper. It's hardly the right time to speak to him. I Finished my supper. Max finished his supper. He went out he and a co-pilot took a cargo flight west that night.

They landed in Winslow, Arizona, and they took off and the plane disappeared. Well, I thought how could a plane disappear in the United States with all our rest search and rescue facilities the plane disappeared.

They searched for a week. They couldn't find it. They searched for two weeks three weeks four weeks a month. Two months three months couldn't find the plane. The spring fog came and the Boy Scouts were out of Winslow called, San Francisco, Pete.

They saw the tail structure of a plane sticking out of a snowdrift. They sent down as a search party came up. Max's body and his co-pilot's body in there. It hit me very hard. But what really hit me hard was one day I was walking by the hangar back in Kansas City and they had spread out a tarpaulin over the deck of the Kansas Of the hangar there and they had Max's Suitcases bags and the co-pilot's bags and they were inventory their effects to send them to their parents.

Very visible. I ran to my room and I wept hissing hot tears. I Want to say it's a terrible thing to have the answer and to hoard it. To have the answer and not to share it especially. When you get clear directions from the Lord's words of the Lord Jesus let the dead bury their dead.

But go thou and preach the kingdom of God. There are some things that the unfaithful can do just as well as we can do. Don't make that the main purpose in your life. Be indefensible for Jesus. Let it love your neighbor.

As yourself the sixth I must hurry the sixth correctional. That's that's the sixth the responsibility of those who have the answer. The seventh is the judgment seat of Christ. Back in verse 10. That's where we started.

The Judgment Seat of Christ and Eternal Accountability

We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he has done whether it be good or bad and. So I think we should have that correctional lens in our glasses to which we see a judgment seat.

The Lord Jesus is sitting upon it. And we're going to stand in front of it someday. Praise God our sins won't be brought out then. They've been covered by the blood of Christ. But our lives and our service will be brought out by then.

Gold silver precious stone wood a double. Deeds of merit as we thought them he will show us were but sin. Little acts we had forgotten. He will show us were for him. What will be important then? What will be important at the judgment seat of Christ.

Reviewing the Seven Lenses for Spiritual Vision

Bone China? Silver Hobby Speedboat. Only. What's done for it to have that? Correctional lens in our glasses. Let us go over them once again. The fact of hell number one. The love of Christ the constraining love of Christ.

Let him die for me. I will live for thee. The value and eternity of a soul. Dear friends, let's go into soul. The purpose of our creation. Why am I here? Am I really living out the purpose of my original creation and of my new?

Creation as well. The plain command of Christ. So forsake all. Love your neighbor as yourself. The responsibility of those who have the answer first. 20. Finally the judgment seat of Christ. Only one thing will really count in.

That day to hear him say Well done now good and faithful servant. Enter thou when the Brooklyn. When the Brooklyn bridge was being built. The architect was seriously injured and spent most of the time in the hospital, but On the day that it was going to be dedicated he was well enough for them to put him on a stretcher and take him out and put him there where he could see the Bridge.

And as he lay there and saw the completed structure He said hey the Lord's going to roll out the blueprint that he had for my life. I'm going to stand there. Wouldn't it be wonderful if he could say? Exactly according to plan.

Prayer for Spiritual Vision and Faithful Service

That is in life. May the Lord help us to have these correctional lenses in our glasses. So that we will have 2020 vision spiritually even if our physical vision isn't exactly what it should be. Father.

We just thank you for your precious. Thank you that you give us the privilege of grappling with the great issues of life and they are great issues, too. It's so easy to go through life chasing bubble.

Chasing butterflies and caught up in a world of trivia while above us burns the vision of the Christ upon the cross. Lord give us good spiritual vision. We pray help us to look on the crowd as our Savior did till our eyes with tears grow dim.

Help us view with pity the wandering sheep and love them for love of him. Go with us as we part today. We pray for our safety in our travels. You think of our brother Dittman again today and just pray for your healing touch on his body.

We do ask you for the girls camp that will be going on here. Oh Lord, how wonderful to think of girls coming to know the Savior and pouring out their lives in Dedicated service for him. We pray for the unsaved who will come and also for those who are already believers.

Be very near to the counselors to all of those in charge. Lord I can see that God was really here working in power during this camp. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus.

That great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant. Make you perfect in every good work to do his will. Working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever.

Amen.