Whom Are You Fetching For?
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:28
Reading Galatians 2:20 last night, an illustration that a pastor in Texas used in his sermon to make the point, “who are you fetching for?” came to mind. The pastor had on his staff a young single college student who served as his youth pastor. The young man had a Yellow Lab that he loved very much. The youth pastor and his dog were close. So close, in fact, that when his Lab became ill and almost died the young man demonstrated just how much he loved his dog by taking his sleeping bag to the veterinarian hospital and sleeping next to his dog until his canine friend was well enough to come home. To illustrate a point one Sunday in his sermon, the pastor invited the youth minister's dog up on the platform, and the dog sat there and didn’t move.
The Senior pastor took a red rubber ball and threw it down the center aisle of the church and said to the dog, "Fetch!" The dog just sat there. Apparently church authority wasn’t enough to make this dog fetch. The pastor invited a well known wealthy businessman from the church who everyone knew to come up. The businessman reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash and waved it in front of the dog and then he said, "Fetch!" The dog didn't move a muscle. The dog couldn’t be bought. The pastor then asked the congregation who were in the service to, "On the count of three, let's all say 'Fetch!' together. One - two - three!" The dog just set there. Apparently he wouldn't fetch because of peer pressure either. Next, the pastor then asked a very attractive young woman to come up to the platform. She petted the dog for a moment and said in a soft sweet voice, "Fetch!" I understand that the dog did flinch but he didn't fetch. He just sat there.
Finally, after all these failed attempts to get the dog to fetch the pastor had his youth minister come up to the platform. The youth pastor casually leaned over his dog and said, "Fetch!" the dog bolted off the platform and down the aisle, took the ball in his mouth, came right back up and gave the ball to him. The moral of the story is, “the one who had loved him and cared for him is the one he was willing to serve”. That poses a great question for each of us to answer today. Whom are you fetching for? Who loves and cares for you so much that you will serve them?
As I study the apostle Paul’s life it’s clear to me that there was only one person who he was willing to fetch for. Only Jesus was worthy of this kind of devotion and it wasn’t because Paul was trying to get Jesus to love him, Paul’s devotion stemmed from the knowledge of Jesus love and devotion for him. What is true in the apostle Paul’s life I pray is true of your life and mine today. When we realize how much the Lord Jesus loves us, that He cares for us and stands by us through sickness and in health how could we not want to serve Him? Nobody loves you like God loves you! As you consider whom you would be willing to “fetch for” today I pray our Lord Jesus is the first person who comes to your mind, for He alone is worthy!
You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”
Revelation 4:11
I LOVE YOU!
Matthew 20:28
Reading Galatians 2:20 last night, an illustration that a pastor in Texas used in his sermon to make the point, “who are you fetching for?” came to mind. The pastor had on his staff a young single college student who served as his youth pastor. The young man had a Yellow Lab that he loved very much. The youth pastor and his dog were close. So close, in fact, that when his Lab became ill and almost died the young man demonstrated just how much he loved his dog by taking his sleeping bag to the veterinarian hospital and sleeping next to his dog until his canine friend was well enough to come home. To illustrate a point one Sunday in his sermon, the pastor invited the youth minister's dog up on the platform, and the dog sat there and didn’t move.
The Senior pastor took a red rubber ball and threw it down the center aisle of the church and said to the dog, "Fetch!" The dog just sat there. Apparently church authority wasn’t enough to make this dog fetch. The pastor invited a well known wealthy businessman from the church who everyone knew to come up. The businessman reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash and waved it in front of the dog and then he said, "Fetch!" The dog didn't move a muscle. The dog couldn’t be bought. The pastor then asked the congregation who were in the service to, "On the count of three, let's all say 'Fetch!' together. One - two - three!" The dog just set there. Apparently he wouldn't fetch because of peer pressure either. Next, the pastor then asked a very attractive young woman to come up to the platform. She petted the dog for a moment and said in a soft sweet voice, "Fetch!" I understand that the dog did flinch but he didn't fetch. He just sat there.
Finally, after all these failed attempts to get the dog to fetch the pastor had his youth minister come up to the platform. The youth pastor casually leaned over his dog and said, "Fetch!" the dog bolted off the platform and down the aisle, took the ball in his mouth, came right back up and gave the ball to him. The moral of the story is, “the one who had loved him and cared for him is the one he was willing to serve”. That poses a great question for each of us to answer today. Whom are you fetching for? Who loves and cares for you so much that you will serve them?
As I study the apostle Paul’s life it’s clear to me that there was only one person who he was willing to fetch for. Only Jesus was worthy of this kind of devotion and it wasn’t because Paul was trying to get Jesus to love him, Paul’s devotion stemmed from the knowledge of Jesus love and devotion for him. What is true in the apostle Paul’s life I pray is true of your life and mine today. When we realize how much the Lord Jesus loves us, that He cares for us and stands by us through sickness and in health how could we not want to serve Him? Nobody loves you like God loves you! As you consider whom you would be willing to “fetch for” today I pray our Lord Jesus is the first person who comes to your mind, for He alone is worthy!
You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”
Revelation 4:11
I LOVE YOU!
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