In this sermon, the speaker reflects on the changing nature of ministry and the mindset of today's ministers. He contrasts the dedication and sacrifice of historical figures like Henry Martin and C.T. Stud with the current focus on personal benefits and rewards. The speaker also highlights the danger of forgetting God's grace and becoming self-sufficient. He concludes by sharing the inspiring words of King George VI and a testimony of commitment from Charles Wesley.

Lincoln said this in 1863, We have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us. And we have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming grace and persevering grace, too proud to pray to the God who has made us. Personal disavowal. Is there somebody here like that this morning? Where you have come to a point in your life, where sitting where you are, you say, in the ruthless honesty of my heart, I really can't buy into this with my life. Portions of it maybe, I cannot come to the point of whether this God is really who he claimed to be. The ministry has changed today. Centuries ago, when you think of people like Henry Martin, who was a Cambridge scholar, and went to India, and went to Burma, and went to Iran. Died at the age of 31, but not before he translated the New Testament into Arabic, into Persian, and into Hindustani. Dragged across a desert in chains, gave up the girl he loved because she didn't want to go to the countries he was going to. He gave up the girl he loved in order to go. I think of C.T. Studd, the great cricketer, who gave up that brilliant career in cricket, and was the captain of Cambridge University team. He was a very wealthy man. C.T. Studd gave the money he had, part of it, for the starting of Moody Bible Institute. He gave up all of that, and went on to Africa. But we've come a long way from there. That's all I'm trying to say. Today, when a young student graduates from Seven Area Bible College, one of his first questions is the benefits he's going to get. And it used to be in times gone by, where the minister would get in and demand, first ask, do I have what it takes to make this kind of sacrifice and commitment? Things have changed. I give you two thoughts with which I end here. King George VI inspired the nation of the commonwealth with his famous Christmas Day address. He closed his commonwealth address to the nations that year, not knowing himself that cancer had invaded his body, and before long he was going to die. He didn't know it at that time. But he made this comment looking at the dark landscape of history at that time, and he said these words that inspired so many, with which he closed his address. He said this, I said to the man at the gate of the year, give me a light that I may walk safely into the unknown. And he said to me, put your hand into the hand of God, and it shall be to you better than the light and safer than the known. And he said to me, put your hand in the hand of God, and it shall be to you better than the light and safer than the known. Charles Wesley wrote this, it has become my own testimony of commitment in my life. He says this, For thou who camest from above, the pure celestial fire to impart, kindle a flame of sacred love on the mean altar of my heart. There let it for thy glory burn with inextinguishable blaze and trembling to its source return in humble prayer and fervent praise. Jesus, confirm my heart's desire to work and speak and think for thee. Still let me guard the holy fire and still stir up thy gift in me. Ready for all thy perfect will, my acts of faith and love repeat till death thy endless mercy seal and make my sacrifice complete.