17. TO SPEND AND BE SPENT

The words of Paul the apostle to the Corinthian Christians speak of his total commitment to their spiritual welfare, and his total investment in the Gospel cause with precious souls at stake. Since the day of his conversion when Christ the Lord called him into the ministry, nothing else mattered: only God’s glorious everlasting kingdom and the salvation of souls.

O that men would appreciate the worth of a soul!

Today, more than ever before, we need men with a right spiritual perspective of the infinite worth of souls, remembering our Lord’s words: "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"  (Mk 8:36,37 )

Soul winning is the only investment which endures, and serving the Lord the only pursuit which satisfies.

Paul expresses it thus: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil 1:21 ). Persuaded of the preciousness of his ministry, the Apostle says, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:14 ).

Apart from the call of Christ, life offered no satisfaction for Paul. Therefore, even when life itself was threatened, he was unruffled, saying "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24 ).

If we had the opportunity of interviewing the great man of God, what would you like to ask him. Suppose we say, “Please explain more fully your word, in Acts 20:24 . ” What might the apostle say to us?

His reply would be something like this: “When Christ my Lord appeared to me on the Damascus road, and called me to be His servant, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. But from that day until this present time, I have witnessed both to small and great the saving grace of God conveyed to all men in the Gospel message, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. And I thank my Lord Jesus Christ who counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.

“Now my time is almost gone, the end is near. But as long as there is life, I still have my course to run, a fight to fight, and a faith to keep, confident that my Lord has a reward for me, even a crown of righteousness, and not to me only, but unto all them that faithfully labour for Him and look for His appearing. ”

Christian reader, how are you living your life? What have you done for your Lord? Only one short life, ‘twill soon be past; only what we’ve done for Christ will last. A life lived for self is a fruitless waste, but a life lived for the Saviour has unspeakable rewards: this is the eternal reality.

Will you say like Paul, that you would gladly “spend and be spent” for the Gospel’s sake?

The Lord called me by His servant John Sung

The most blessed event in my life was God sending His servant Dr John Sung. In 1935, under conviction of his Spirit-powered preaching, I made a public confession of Jesus as my Saviour.

Three years later, in response to his challenge, I committed my life to serve the Lord. From God’s servant I learnt the meaning of total surrender and “to spend and be spent” for the Gospel’s sake.

In four successive years of revival meetings, two weeks each time, the Gospel message and the fervency of the preacher made a life-long impact on my entire outlook and way of life.

Under the sound of Dr Sung’s soul-hot preaching I yielded my life to God, recognizing that living for self and the world were completely worthless and futile. In the words of the Preacher, labour under the sun in the final analysis is only vanity and vexation of spirit.

How God had used a man wholly given over to Him in turning hundreds of thousands of his countrymen in repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, posed a challenge to me which I could not refuse. If God could use John Sung, can He not use me? Remember, He once used a lad’s offering of loaves and fishes to feed five thousand?

Day by day, as I heard the Gospel message, and the Spirit touched my heart, I asked myself, What is my life if lived for self? What better thing is there than to let God take full control of my life? The Word of God says, “He that winneth souls is wise. ” From then on my heart was fixed: “Only Jesus, always Jesus! Him only will I serve, For His cause I will most gladly spend and be spent. ”

From the book, “John Sung my Teacher” (T Tow, 1985) John Sung was given a ministry of fifteen years. During those fifteen years, he literally blazed the Gospel trail, burning out for his Lord.

Wherever he preached lives were changed and hundreds gave themselves for life-long service for God. Today, sixty years after his death, his fruits remain: in every part of China and Southeast Asia, faithful men and women continue to witness for the Lord, all because of John Sung.

Today I look back with gratitude to that morning in Muar, Johor Malaysia, when I surrendered my life to the Lord. The fire of God’s love continues to burn in my heart, constraining me to follow the Lord through every circumstances of life, and to deny self and the seductive perishing world.

Years in the University with its glamour of academic life, hobnobbing with the high and mighty, counted for little. While I had once worked hard to attain the prized appointment, having arrived, I found little satisfaction in those things.

Just as the apostle had said, "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ" (Phil 3:7,8 ).

Seventy years now have I followed the Lord, and I have found each succeeding year better than the year before. To the hymn “Sweeter as the years go by” I say a hearty Amen.

For the Gospel’s sake, I would most gladly, “spend and be spent” everyday of what little remaining time is left, ever looking for the day of His glorious appearing.

Until then, let all who love His appearing press on!