First and Final Words
Ask Christians what they want to hear 30 seconds after they die. Most will say “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” These words come from Jesus’ parable of the talents recorded in Matthew 25. It’s one of three stories Jesus told all at once. One about being prepared (having oil in your lamps when the bridegroom comes), this one about not being afraid to invest what the Master has given you charge over (the parable of the talents), and a third about the sheep and the goats (about having compassion and being charitable).
So why do we lock onto the words from this story? They’re not a promise or a principle. Why do we take them out of context and so yearn to hear them upon our arrival in the Great Beyond?
- Is it because we so desperately wanted to hear them from our earthly dad?
- Perhaps we’re confused in our theology and misunderstand grace?
- Or maybe we think if we do enough good here on earth, we’ll please our heavenly ‘dad’ there in heaven?
Check out Isaiah 64:6.
“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”
Our ‘righteous acts’ don’t cut it. No matter how well we behave, how pious we are, how generous or evangelistic or spiritual. The people who killed Jesus were all about being good enough to please God. They were experts in ‘righteous acts’. In fact, they were so caught up in their righteous acts, they missed the Messiah right in front of their noses. God in the flesh, killed for not measuring up to “Well done”.
There’s just no way to do or be good enough for “Well done”. It’s why the Cross is everything for us. Our hope of Heaven is single-threaded through Jesus’ death and resurrection, not through our ‘righteous acts’.
There is an alternative to “Well done”. Another set of words to motivate us. A different thing to aspire to. A different ‘bar’ if you will. It was raised for me a few years ago so I’ll raise it for you now. My friend Martha put this one on me and it hasn’t left. Instead of “Well done”, what if God greets you with this:
“Welcome (your name here), I’m so glad to see you. You’re one of my favorites because there on earth, your heart broke for the same things my heart breaks for.”
How do I do pursue what God’s heart breaks for?
Ask Him. “Lord, you know what I have, where I live, who I know, and what I’m good at. What is it in my world that breaks your heart?” Then ask “What would you have me do here Lord?” Then do the next thing He shows you. Don’t worry about outcomes, effectiveness, numbers, “R.O.I.” . . . none of that. Just obey. Just follow the heart of God as you discern it. As you pursue things that break His heart, yours will get softer and more like His. Who knows . . . He may use you to change a life, a family, a church, a community, or the whole world.
Question: What does your heart truly break for? Have you asked God in serious prayer to break your heart for a person, a people-group, a need in your community, a specific cause He wants to connect you to? Will you? Tell us where He leads you here
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Responses (2)
Recent books such as Radical, Not a Fan and Crazy Love take me to another response I fear many church going Cultural Christians will hear instead. Mathew 7: 20-23 ends with “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness”
We will be recognized by our fruit. My heart breaks that many who spend Sunday in Church, Wednesday in Bible study all going on for decades believe they are saved but are not known by God. I fear many in our churches are being deceived by the great deceiver, complacent with their routine, producing no fruit, and headed to Hell.
“Come follow me” is how Christ began his ministry. Regi uses this approach asking men to join him mentoring others., making disciples. And God has blesses Regi with a sense of “well done, my good and ……, in a way that is supernatural.
In my past, for a decade or so, God had me challenge men to join me going to Mexico on an annual short term mission trip. Come, follow me to Mexico. The trip rocked me and I saw it rock those that followed me. I will never forget the sense of joy overcoming me when 6 men, during the last evening of one of those early trips, stood up and thanked me , with their voices choking, for getting them to go with me. A taste of what “well done — will be like.
I look forward to getting involved in mentoring with your ministry.
My sense is God wants me to spur some of the guys comfortable in their church routeen into becoming disciple makers , Radical Mentors, just like he used me to spur them to go on past mission trips. Still praying as to what that looks like.
Having the blessing of being part of the Chick-fil-A family I have heard many describe this week that “Well Done!!” is what Truett heard has he crossed the finish line into Jesus arms early Monday morning. His eldest grandson Andrew so eloquently described what this scene must have been like during his memorial service on Wednesday.
To look at the life of Truett Cathy is to see one filled with countless acts of unexpected opportunities for him to be exactly where God wanted him to be to take care of things that mattered to Him. The most impactful thing that I took away from Truett’s memorial service on was that a vast majority of the unexpected opportunities came after his 3 children were grown and he was in his early 50’s…the “second half” of his life. When Truett was 53 Chick-fil-A had 34 stores and when he passed at 93 they now have over 1800 and all the time being a “Faithful steward of all that God has entrusted”.
It is never too late to get about our Father’s business. Regi is also an example of someone who has seized opportunities presented to do the work that God has wanted done.
Well Done Regi by showing us younger guys how to do it…