Christmas 2 A “Will-Power” Worship

 Christmas 2 A “Will-Power” Worship

January 4, 1981

By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell

I am going to suggest that there are three ways to approach 1981; the right way, the wrong way, and the
Gospel way. If we choose to follow the right way, we will; follow the rules, discipline ourselves and lead a good life. If we choose the wrong way, we will be; ship-shod, lukewarm, half-hearted, and indifferent. We have all (no doubt) lived with both options. On the many camping trips I have taken, I have observed people who prided themselves in how much they could contribute, and people who prided themselves in how much they could avoid contributing. 

The right way and the wrong way have this in common; they depend on what man can or ought to do. 

A third way, the Gospel way, is different! The Gospel way depends on what God can do. A work done the Gospel way is a work which is initiated and energized by God. the “right way” and the “wrong way” depend on men, the Gospel way depends on God.

I think many of us see the clean, empty spaces on our new calendars as an opportunity for a fresh start. Here comes 360 days in 1981 that we can live any way we choose. Those blank spaces are an inspiration to make some new resolves; some New Year’s Resolutions for personal improvement, worthy goals, and meaningful programs – all leading to satisfying accomplishments. 

So, with our new calendars in hand, what shall we schedule in all those blank spaces? Recognizing that we all have a varying number of work hours that are dictated by our occupations, there are still a significant number of hours in an average week that we can assign for any purpose we choose. You’re the boss, but remember, there are three ways to go; the right way, the wrong way…. and the Gospel way.

Some will approach all those blank spaces in 1981 the wrong way. Any commitments will be tentative, involvement will be superficial, effort will be minimal, and the results at the end of the year will be seen in the addition of another candle on their birthday cake. I’m sure that no one in this congregation would be so foolish. If however, some of you may be tempted to just drift along in a nice, comfortable spot (skillfully keeping out of the way of those carrying the load), remember the admonition from the Book of Revelations: Being neither hot nor cold he spit them out of his mouth: the ultimate “wrong way” is to approach a new year, or a new day, is with luke-warm indifference.

We should appreciate the fact that our time is running out.

Now, what about the right way! We would all score very well, I’m sure, approaching the New Year in the right way. As Christians, we find ourselves motivated to be more Christ like… and that’s good! With Christ we begin to see how we could be more loving, more responsible, more disciplined, more obedient, more thoughtful, and we begin to see that if we are going to develop these positive Christlike characteristics, there are certain disciplines that we can practice that will help us grow into Christ.

These disciplines are so familiar we can almost recite them; meditation, prayer, study, fasting, worship, service, etc. There is a good chance that some of you have tried all of them. These are the tried-and-true ways to grow into Christ. The spiritual giants of our faith have accumulated centuries of experience in these disciplines. So…. the right way to fill up those 1981 open time-slots is to get discipline. 

I will be a better Christian, I will get my religious trip organized, I will be more trustworthy, loyal, helpful, courteous, kind, obedient, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent! And, chances are, you will! ….. but, then again, on the other hand, chances are …. you won’t. Chances are, you will find yourself saying along with St. Paul – “I do the things…. I don’t want to do, and I don’t do the thing I want to do. And there is no strength in me.”

What a humbling thing to say; I tried discipline and will-power and I failed. The trouble with the “right way” is that all the initiative and energy depend on us. We can fill our 1982 calendars with activities that may win us the citizen of the year award, and at the same time be out of sink with God. No matter how well intended, our goals are we can fall victim to “will-power” worship. As long as we think we can save ourselves by our own “will-power” we will only make the evil in us stronger than ever. It’s like saying to a foe, “step across that line.” And, what does the foe do? He steps across the line!

The “wrong way” is indifference, the “right way” is “Will-Power” worship. The wrong way fails for lack of human striving. The right way fails because of human striving. The wrong way has no discipline. The right way is obsessed with discipline. The Pagens were wrong the Pharisees were right, but they both suffered from moral bankruptcy. Either my life is all tangled up from my pleasure-seeking-don’t-give-a-damn attitude, or my life is oppressed (and I am oppressive) because of the over-bearing monsters of discipline and “Will-Power Worship.”

Law-bound discipline breaths death. It is easy in our zeal for spiritual discipline to convert ourselves into the rightness of the Scribes and Pharisees. When a discipline degenerates into law, we use them to manipulate and control people. We get proud because we believe we are the “right” kind of people. 

The Gospel way avoids this trap. Paul says it best in Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace you are the ones who have been saved, through faith, and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not because of works lest any man should boast.”

If we walk around thinking that we are the “right” kind of people, it is a fearful walk because if we are “right” then they are wrong, and we may lose control. We are not called to manage others – what a burden! We are called to put ourselves into a position where our hearts can be changed.

Our world is hungry for genuinely changed people. Leo Tolstoy observed, “Everybody thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing himself.” The spiritual disciplines of meditation, prayer, worship, service, fasting… are God’s means of grace. They simply place us where He can reach us, and bless us. 

The Gospel way is the way of disciplined grace. Walking with the Master does not produce change – it only puts us where change may occur. If virtue is to be easy, we need an internal change. Once, through our walk with the Master, we are filled with the spirit of compassion…it is difficult to be bitter. 

The Gospel way is to put ourselves in position to let God take the initiative with our lives. When He changes our heart there is sufficient energy to live a different kind of life – these virtues begin to flow; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. When God is our Master – we can hope to say with Paul, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” 

The “wrong way” is indifference. The “right way” is will-power worship. The Gospel way is to walk with the Master and let Him change our hearts. 

The Master’s way is that we learn to love one another.