The longest train ever recorded in history was the Australian BHP Iron Ore. The cars behind it stretched approximately 4.6 miles. To provide some mind-boggling perspective here's what one train-fanatic wrote,
“Driven by a single driver, the line’s 99,734-ton and 682-car train was able to carry 82,000 tons (181 million pounds) of iron ore. The Australian BHP Iron Ore can fit about 24 Eiffel Towers…The weight of this train being the same as about 402 Statues of Liberty.”
Trains are impressive heavy-haulers, but only under the right conditions. On the tracks they’ll whistle while they work but once they’re derailed— they only whistle. Trains don’t work without tracks.
Paul would make an interesting appeal to the saints who met at the infant church family in Thessalonica. He asks that they pray for the powerful gospel to have a straight path so it could move quickly. His exact words were,
“pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified…”
2 Thess. 3.1b
In a simple yet inspired prayer request a practical and profound implication steps out of subtlety— Prayerlessness will hinder the furtherance of the gospel.
Based on this text, the content of congregational prayers may be in need of careful inspection. Reevaluating your evangelistic ministries, online presence, visibility in the community, advertising efforts, kingdom expenditures, and even the dynamics the worship service— all must fall below the prayer line on the priority list.
While Paul was writing to the Thessalonians, God was writing to the rest of us. He reminds us that this request should ring in the prayers of His congregations today. The written petition by itself informs the modern church that this is something that God is willing and able to do for us, He would just have us ask. The powerful gospel needs prayer— like a train needs tracks.
A 21st century church member may occasionally think
The gospel doesn’t seem to be as convicting in my community. It works just fine in other parts of the world, and it worked well in the past— but not so much here and now.
More Reasons Can Be Found
Here: James 4.2-3 Here: Matthew 21.22 And Here: Ephesians 6.19-20
Herodotus casually mentions that there were snakes that would fly from Egypt every year from the Sinai wilderness (Herodotus 2.75-76). This may strike fear in the heart of any snake-fearing person, but it sure is interesting. Marco Polo would also write in his travel log about flying venomous “birds” as well as snakes of gigantic proportions as he explored Asia.
The Bible records several strange serpents and one passage in particular is especially fascinating.
In the book of Numbers there’s an account that’s made many readers scratch their heads as they wonder what these fiery serpents are (21:6-9) that God sent to plague the Israelites.
“TheLord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people so that many people died in Israel. So the people came to moses and said “we have sinned because we have spoken against the Lord and you; intercede with the Lord, that He may remove the serpents from us. And Moses interceded for the people. Then the Lord said to Moses make a fiery serpent and set it on a standard, and it shall come about that everyone who is bitten when he looks at it he shall live. And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard and it came about that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked at the bronze serpent he lived.”
Some commentators have suggested that perhaps the strange description is of a particular kind of venomous snake. Others have made the observation that the Hebrew word for serpent here (Saraph) could be symbolic to indicate their color since it means “burning ones.” Interestingly enough there are bronze colored serpents around today in Australia that are incredibly poisonous. Perhaps there’s something to this based on the Lord’s instruction to Moses to fashion a serpent made of brass. Of course this description could also literally be taken to mean snakes which either breathed fire, or were somehow on fire. God was, after all, punishing a people who had complained of their miraculous meals of manna.
Though the identity of these fiery serpents may always be a mystery, the lessons taught to us through this event are powerful. The connections John will make (Jn. 3.14-15) as well as the Hebrew writer (12.2) focus on the crucifixion and the concept of looking to Jesus for our salvation.
The relationship between belief and action here are also telling. Those Israelites that believed were led by that same belief to look— then were healed. If we believe Jesus can and will heal us of our sins, then that belief must lead us to the water (Act 2.38, Mk. 16.16).
Ephesians 3:20-21 says, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
In 1999, Australian Bill Morgan was a truck driver who got in a pretty bad accident that left him in coma. After 12 days and despite doctors giving him zero chance of surviving, he miraculously woke up and was, shockingly, completely fine! Feeling lucky for surviving, he went on and bought a scratch lottery ticket and won 18,000 dollars and a new car.
Normally winning a car wouldn’t have made it to the news but, because of Morgan’s accident story, Channel 9 decided to do a feature on the man who was “clinically dead and came back to win the lottery.” While filming, they asked him to buy a lottery ticket so they could re-enact the winning scratch. He happily obliged and started scratching the ticket on camera. But suddenly he stopped. He looked at the camera, and said “I just won $250,000.”
Bill is a man that we would say has some pretty good luck. He was supposed to be dead, but instead he woke up, won a car, and $250,000 dollars. There was a point in our lives where we were spiritually dead, and Christ brought us back to life. But Christ doesn’t stop there. He saves us and continues to bless the faithful. Each and every person that has come in contact with the blood of Christ is no longer dead, plus His blood continually cleanses us of sin if we walk in the light (1 John 1:9).
As lucky as Bill Morgan was, I’d like to suggest that those who are added to the body of Christ are blessed far beyond physical possessions. Our faith in Christ leads to eternal life!
Yesterday, a man slipped trying to board a subway train in Perth, Australia. Closed-circuit footage shows him wedged up to his thigh as the train was filling with commuters. First, a fellow-commuter beckons to the Transit Authority workers to stop the train from leaving. Then, incredibly, dozens of commuters come together and tip the train over enough for the man to be freed. The unnamed man was apparently unharmed and able to catch the next train, undoubtedly more cautious about where and how he stepped (AP story via USA Today, 8/6/14).
The story has rightly been called “heartwarming.” It shows the compassion and empathy people can naturally and easily demonstrate. It also shows the power of people united for a common cause. Doesn’t it also show the importance of each individual, doing his or her part, to effectively help?
The church is certainly made up of people with varying degrees and kinds of talents. Some may be more visible and audible than others, but no one is unimportant. My experience is that God’s people have an inclination to help and serve and often are just looking for a way to be involved. Together, we can accomplish great good for the growth and strength of the kingdom. Not one person is unimportant.
How many people are needed to reach a soul? Paul writes that he planted and Apollos watered (1 Co. 3:6). Think about it. If a person visits our assemblies, one may greet them in the parking lot and another at the door. One may help them find a seat and several more may greet them and converse with them. Another may invite them to lunch. Yet another may eventually ask them to study the Bible. Another may conduct the study and still another baptize them. Others may invite them into their home and conduct follow up studies. There may be those who find where they can be involved and put them to work. Eventually, that one dies in a saved condition. Who was responsible for that?
How beautiful to think that God sees each of us as a vital cog in His eternal plan of salvation! He had the church in His mind as part of His eternal purpose (Eph. 3:9-11). No one can do everything, but each of us can do something. Let us find out where we fit in and then start “pushing”!
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