“FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE”
Romans 1:1-6 February 2004
Key verse: 1:5
“Through him and for his name’s sake we have received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.”
When I visited London last summer there was not time to do any sightseeing, but as we drove through the streets of London from the airport to the center I was moved just to be in England. I thought about David Livingston, William Cary, John Wesley, and George Whitfield. I was surprised to find that the British students with whom I talked had never heard of Hudson Taylor or the Cambridge 7, or even of William Wilberforce. I learned that the great Christian history that undergirds the life and culture of England is not taught in the schools. The young people are losing a precious heritage, and their nation is poorer for it.
It is always exciting for me to come to Washington. There are so many things that remind us of the values our forefathers fought and died to obtain and preserve. Arlington cemetery and the various war memorials especially remind us that freedom is not free. George Washington was a man of prayer. His integrity and courage stand as tall as the Washington monument. We pray that God will raise up in America leaders like him. Abraham Lincoln was a man of prayer. On one wall of the Lincoln memorial is written Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address. Mr. Lincoln met Jesus during the turbulent days of the war. He saw the war between the states in the light of God’s sovereignty. God used this bloody war to discipline America, to teach us that before God, all people are equally precious and valuable. Our Pilgrim forefathers and the Puritans came with a vision to make this country like a city on a hill, to shine the light of the gospel into all the world. We should never forget that our country was built on the faith, prayer, courage and sacrifice of our forefathers. We are a great country because God has blessed us. We believe that God has a good purpose for our country. So we pray that God may make America a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Friday night we were moved by Missionary Samuel Folta’s presentation of the great needs and the terrible plight of the people of North Korea. I believe that God will hear our prayers and open a window through which the light of God’s love may shine into the darkness of falsehood, famine and cruelty and suffering. Praise God who called Sam Folta and his family to serve him among the Chosen Jok in China. I thank God for Missionary Jacob and Esther Lee who could give their eldest son to God for his service in such a dangerous and difficult and needy place. I am grateful for Missionary Abraham Lee, who has given 2 very precious years of his life to serve God in China. I pray that he may pass the bar exam and give his whole life to Jesus; that he may deny himself, take up his cross and follow Jesus throughout his life time. Why is there so much unspeakable suffering in the world? And what can one person do? I feel helpless in the face of such questions.
Genesis tells us that God created the world and mankind for his own glory. God was pleased and mankind was happy. Then man disobeyed God’s word. Man’s sin broke his relationship with God. Man lost his place in the scheme of things. He had to live under the power of death. He became a slave of his sinful nature. God saw that men’s hearts were full of evil and he was grieved that he had made man; his heart was full of pain. He sent the flood to wipe mankind from the face of the earth and he made a new beginning with Noah, a man who walked with God and obeyed God’s word. However, the seeds of sin and rebellion were in Noah’s blood. The flood revealed God’s hatred of sin. It pointed to the final judgment. The waters of the flood, however, could not wash the sin from men’s hearts. So God began a new plan of redemption. It was a plan that looked forward to Jesus. God called one man, Abraham. God promised to bless Abraham and make him a blessing to all people. Abraham believed God’s promises and obeyed God’s word. In order to keep his promise, and mold Abraham’s descendants into a nation, God sent them to Egypt. They learned that to live in slavery to men is terrible. When the time came, God sent a deliverer, Moses. He said, “I will free you from being slaves...I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people and I will be your God.” (Ex 6:6,7) Real freedom can be found only when man’s relationship with God is restored. Freedom is possible when one lives for the glory of God. Freedom is possible only when one obeys God’s Laws.
In Exodus 19 God reveals to Moses and his people his deep and secret plan to bring God’s promised blessing to all the people of the earth. God redeemed Israel so that through them he might accomplish his world redemptive purpose. Through them he would send Jesus. Exodus 19:5-6a say, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Peter understood God’s heart and applied these verses to the people who belong to Jesus. He said, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation a people belonging to God that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1Pe 2:9) Paul spoke of his “priestly duty” to proclaim the gospel of God to the Gentiles so that they might become an offering acceptable to God (Ro 15:16) A priest prays. He brings people to God and God to people. God’s people, who belong to him, must be a priestly nation. We must bring forgiveness of sin through Jesus to the world.
Personally, I chose for this year Romans 1:5, “Through him and for his name’s sake we have received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.” In this verse we find how to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
First, through him and for his name’s sake. It is through Jesus that we are redeemed from sin and called to be God’s servants. Jesus bought us with his blood. He made us and he redeemed us. We belong to him. We are his treasured possession. He loves us and we love him. We must live in him and he in us. Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
“For the sake of his name” means that Jesus saved us so that we may live for God’s glory–for the sake of the name of Jesus–for the glory of God alone. The Shorter Catechism asks, “What is man’s chief end (or purpose)? The answer is, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” Bach wrote music for the glory of God alone. Students must do their best in their studies for the glory of God. Missionaries must teach the Bible and raise disciples for the glory of God alone. Our sheep are not ours–they belong to Jesus. It is the same for our children. Missionaries are the unsung heroes of our time. They live as kernels of wheat, planted in the soil of a foreign country. As they die to themselves, Jesus is revealed. When everything we do is through Jesus and for the sake of his name, there is no failure. We are not failures if our sheep run away or if our children disappoint us. God will do his own work in their hearts. Our children also belong to God. When they do well, we can only praise and thank God. When they are rebellious and far from God, we must pray for them and wait on God. And we ourselves must hold to the course through prayer, obedient Bible study and a deeper commitment to God’s mission. We are failures only if we allow ourselves to be cut off from the Vine, Jesus. Some people are concerned about their positions or title. Jesus taught his disciples not to be concerned about position. He said, “Whoever is greatest among you is servant of all.” When Dr. John Jun was a student he had no position in UBF. He never delivered a Sunday message. He was not a fellowship leader. He stood at the back and watched over the shoes. He did not seek his own glory or try to find any “position” in UBF. God raised him up to be UBF director in Korea. When we remember that all the glory belongs to God we can have great joy in doing the smallest job just for Jesus. When everything we do is through Jesus and for the sake of Jesus’ name there is no failure. And every success belongs to Jesus.
Second, “We have received grace and apostleship.” Paul called himself the “chief of sinners.” He was not immoral. He was not a drug addict. He was a religious man. But he was self-righteous, and in his ignorance he opposed the work of God. He dragged Christians from their homes and imprisoned them. He participated in the stoning of God’s servant, Stephen. He thought he was serving God, but he was living as God’s enemy. The shepherd Jesus met him on the road to Damascus. Jesus did not rebuke him. He said, “Saul, it is hard for you to kick against the goads, isn’t it? “You are struggling so much!” Saul said, “Who are you, Lord?” The answer: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” And Jesus forgave his sins. Not only this, the Risen Jesus gave him a great mission. Apostleship is mission. Paul said that God’s great grace to him was mission. He did not deserve to be called an apostle, but by God’s grace the Risen Christ called him to preach the gospel to the Gentile world. Paul wrote, “By the grace of God I am what I am.” God created us for mission (Ge 1:26-28). One who has no mission from God, no purpose in his life must live with meaninglessness. A life with no purpose is not happy. At our recent staff conference a missionary who has been away on a vacation from God’s work for many years came back. He said, “It is very hard to live with God’s mission, but it is harder to live without God’s mission.
I grew up in a Christian home, but I did not know Jesus. I met Jesus in college through Bible study, and he forgave my sins. I was proud and rebellious and thirsty for love. Jesus came to me and invited me to come to him. When I accepted forgiveness through his blood, he forgave my sins and satisfied my soul. He is the bread of life; He is the light of the world. He is the living water; he is the good shepherd. He is the way and the truth and the life. God’s grace is sufficient to cover all my sins. Jesus’ coming to dwell with me is God’s grace. God laid upon my heart his mission. God’s calling to mission is God’s grace. God, the Holy, all Powerful, all Knowing God has entrusted the task of proclaiming the gospel to the unbelieving world to weak human beings like ourselves. This mission makes life meaningful and glorious. If we do not do the work of God, we find ourselves living as prisoners to sin, doing Satan’s work. Praise God who has given us grace and apostleship.
Third, “To call people from among all the Gentiles.” Paul was a missionary. He was a Jew, a Hebrew of Hebrews. He was called to preach the gospel to non-Jews. All Christians are called to be Jesus’ witnesses to an unbelieving world—to the Gentiles of our time. UBF is called to bring the gospel to the students of the world. During last year I did a lot of traveling. It was by God’s grace alone that I could visit our missionary coworkers in Lebanon and Damascus, Germany and England and the Czech Republic and Moscow and Africa, Astana and Almaty, Kazakstan. Earlier this year I traveled to Brazil and Argentina. We could visit university campuses and pray for the students in each country.
There is a great need for Bible teachers and shepherds in Brazil. South America was originally pioneered by Spain and Portugal. They brought Catholic Christianity with them. Everywhere there are churches and statues of saints, and the people seem to be very religious. But the Catholic Church did not bring the Bible. Without Bible study Christianity becomes a religion based on emotion and ritual and slips into idolatry. In recent years there has been an evangelical revival throughout South America. It is largely Pentecostal. Many Pentecostals study the Bible, but their focus is on feeling and experience. They are not reaching students. We visited the University of Sao Paulo. It is a beautiful university, with more than 200,000 students. There are 5 campuses scattered around the city, and more than 80 colleges. Satan worship is rampant . Drug addiction is common. Immorality is the rule, not the exception. We also visited Campinas. Campinas is a high tech city, the Silicon Valley of Brazil. The University of Campinas is an important university to pioneer. There are two missionary families there. We visited the campus to pray with them for the students. Everywhere one looks, one see dark, obscene and satanic graffiti painted on the buildings and walls. The suicide rate is high. Students need Jesus. They need the word of God.
I have the greatest respect for all of our missionaries. They are God’s chosen people who overcome difficult and sometimes dangerous living conditions as they seek to plant the word of life in the hearts of young people of many nations. Being missionaries in materially advanced countries is not easy, either. Amid the temptations and attractions of an affluent society, missionaries have sought to please God and not themselves. They have suffered with students caught in sinful life-styles. They have given God’s love to love-starved young people from broken homes. They have prayed for and with young people who could have wasted their lives as slaves of drugs or lust or meaninglessness. Through suffering, they have drunk deeply of the love of Jesus who died for us, a love that satisfies our deepest hunger and thirst.
As our second gens grow to be teenagers, we find that they are very important sheep. Some have met Jesus and become coworkers. Sometimes our second gens think that their parents love sheep more than their children. This is not true. Parents love their children more than themselves. Sometimes they don’t know how to adequately express their love. They want their children to be happy. Missionary parents know that the real source of happiness and joy must be found in God, not in human success or in human love. So they pray for their children. They have discovered that each person must meet Jesus for himself and each one must make his own decisions and live his own life. They only pray that those lives may be lived in Christ.
Fourth, “To the obedience that comes from faith.” Jesus last command to his disciples was, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” A disciple is one who has made a decision to accept Jesus’ love and forgiveness and grace. One must make a commitment to Jesus to begin a life of discipleship. This is one meaning of baptism. A disciple is one who is learning the obedience that comes from faith. Every Christian is a disciple of Jesus. Jesus made disciples by teaching them God’s word, by praying for them, by being with them, and by giving his life for them (Jn 17). Jesus, although he was God’s Son, learned obedience from what he suffered and became the source of eternal salvation to those who obey him. UBF ministry around the world is a disciple-making ministry. We engage in one-to-one Bible study, prayer, common life (learning to love each other in Jesus). Everything must point us to Jesus and must lead us to obey him. If we know and love Jesus, we will obey him. Jesus said, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” Disciples of Jesus must obey Jesus’ command to love each other. A friend is different from a servant because a friend knows what the Lord is doing. Abraham was God’s friend because he knew God’s heart. Disciples are Jesus’ friends because they share with him God’s great vision for the world. He taught them to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done.”
In a world in which immorality is rampant, the establishing of house churches is essential. This is one expression of the obedience that comes from faith. A house church is established when a person gives his or her marriage to God and marries someone who pleases God, rather that someone who pleases himself or herself. A house church is established when 2 people pray together and decide to make their home Christ centered rather than family-centered, when they seek first God’s glory, not their own pleasure. God blesses such families and gives real happiness.
Disciple-making on the mission field means raising up national leaders. Dr. Lee talked about “globalization.” He looked toward nationals taking places of leadership in their own countries. The Moscow UBF has raised disciples who are also disciple makers. They are raising national shepherds who take more and more leadership in the ministry. In India, also, M. Jimmy Lee and his missionary coworkers have raised responsible national leaders. Their time of testing has come, for just last week enemies of the gospel reported to the Indian government that M. Jimmy and his missionaries coworkers were engaging in illegal missionary activity. So he and our missionaries must become shadows, as the Indian shepherds take over the leadership the UBF of India. I pray that this may result in a new and powerful ministry to Hindu students in the Hindi language. In Mexico, M. Abraham and Sarah Hwang have been raising national shepherds and Bible teachers who take the lead in the ministry. Mexico UBF is sending missionaries to Latin America as they pray to pioneer 33 Latin American countries. Shepherd Jorge was sent from the Mexico UBF to be a speaker at the 2004 Argentine conference. In London, English shepherds are carrying the main responsibility for the ministry. Yesterday I spoke with Dr. Peter Kim of Kiev. He and the coworkers there are sending Dr. Jacob Vladimer and his wife, Joan of Arc to pioneer the third largest city in the Ukraine. We must pray for God’s wisdom and help in moving toward globalization in the USA and Canada.
Let us pray for the pioneering of 561 campuses in the USA and 250 campuses in Canada. Let us pray for the establishing of strong house churches that are built on the rock of faith and on obedience to the word of God.
Let us continue to pray for the Muslim world, for North Korea, and for 100,000 UBF missionaries to be sent out to 233 nations of the world by 2041. Today, especially, let us pray for God’s work in Yang Jin, China, through Missionary Samuel Folta and Missionary Abraham Lee. Let us pray that God may send a UBF missionary to join them within this year, 2004. Let’s read Romans 1:5 again. Through him and for his name’s sake we have received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith” May God make America a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.