I remember years ago, back before I was
an evangelist myself, at the time I was
a wealthy businessman and I was supporting an
itinerant evangelist.
I helped this man on a regular basis
in support of his ministry.
One day he came to me with a
special need.
He said if he only had a motorcoach,
it would allow him to travel more in
the spread of the gospel, as he would
not have to rely on churches to put
him up in hotels while he was on
the road.
But if he had his own motorcoach, he
could live in it.
This evangelist told me he already had raised
half the money for this motorcoach, and all
that was keeping him from buying it was
he needed the other half of the money
to purchase it.
He sent me a photo of the motorcoach
so I could see how nice it was.
I told him I would pray for him,
that God would somehow get him the rest
of the money.
Then I hung up the phone.
As I was praying for this man's need,
the Lord convicted me that I could meet
that need myself, and not only that, I
could write him a check immediately.
Well, that didn't sit too well with me
at the time because it was a lot
of money, money I could have squirreled away
from my own family's use and future.
But every time I thought of that evangelist,
that photo of the motorcoach would float into
my mind, and it disturbed me because I
didn't want to with that much money.
I believe God honors a follower of his
when he gives to the Lord, especially for
the spread of the gospel.
I also believe, friends, that God is not
too impressed when we give out of our
abundance.
Jesus said so himself in Mark's gospel.
In chapter 12 we read, And Jesus sat
over against the treasury, and beheld how people
cast money into the treasury, and many that
were rich cast in much.
And there came a certain poor widow, and
she threw in two mites, which make a
farthing.
And he called unto him his disciples, and
saith unto them, Verily I say unto you,
that this poor widow hath cast more in
than all they which have cast into the
treasury.
For all they did cast in of their
abundance, but she of her want did cast
in all that she had, even all her
living.
I believe we get God's attention when we
give to him sacrificially.
For God is a God who delights in
sacrifice.
For did he not sacrifice his only begotten
son on a cruel cross for sinful man?
I believe God takes notice when it costs
us something to give to his work.
It's the sacrificial giving that grabs his attention.
At least that's how Jesus sees it.
Anyhow, back to this man and the motorcoach.
Every time I thought of that evangelist, a
photo of his motorcoach would float in my
mind.
I could picture him sitting behind the driver's
wheel as he rode around the country spreading
the gospel.
Finally, I picked up the phone and called
him.
He said afterwards he could sense the nervousness
in my voice as I told him I
was putting a check in the mail so
he could go get that motorcoach.
After all these years, that evangelist still uses
that same motorcoach in the spread of the
gospel.
Now, I say all that, friends, from a
personal perspective in that I believe the main
hindrance to the spread of the gospel isn't
the devil, but rather it is we ourselves
who refuse to part with mammon if it's
going to cost us something.
If we gave more sacrificially to God in
the spread of the gospel, he would receive
the glory and the lost and perishing could
be reached more with the good news of
salvation and Christ Jesus before they perished into
a burning hell of torments.
I believe there's enough money sitting right now
in Christian bank accounts and investment portfolios to
reach the whole world with the gospel.
The trouble is we won't let loose of
it because we won't tap into what we
perceive to be our own personal nest egg
for the future, but we don't realize that
a sudden economic crash could remove that money
anyhow.
I don't believe Christ held anything back at
Calvary, but rather he gave his all.
The question is, are we a hindrance to
the spread of the gospel or are we
a facilitator of it?
Let us pray.