Waiting for Orders
God wants us to wait for His orders and trust in His sovereignty and timing, rather than taking matters into our own hands.
K.P. Yohannan emphasizes the importance of waiting for God's instructions, likening it to a messenger boy who patiently awaits his master's orders. He contrasts this commitment with the frantic, self-driven approach often seen in modern evangelical Christianity, urging believers to recognize their identity as bondslaves of Christ. Yohannan challenges listeners to evaluate their level of commitment to God, questioning whether they are merely performing tasks or fully surrendering their lives to His will. He highlights that true fulfillment comes from aligning with God's purpose rather than relying on personal efforts. Ultimately, he reminds us that living for Christ is the essence of a meaningful life.
Text
Often, in India, in front of office buildings, you will see a messenger boy sitting on a stool, apparently doing nothing. But when he hears a bell ringing inside, he hurries in and asks, "Sir, what do you want me to do?" Whatever the instructions may be, the boy follows them without complaining. Then he returns and sits, waiting again to hear his master's voice. This is the kind of commitment God wants from us. But this is the opposite of the mad, rushing, pragmatic, modern-day evangelical Christianity most of us are caught up in today.
Somehow we assume God is in some big mess, that we should run around and frantically take His side, or He will be in big trouble. On the other hand, I believe God is waiting for those who are willing to become bondslaves, men and women who will wait and watch to hear the Master's voice and only do those things He asks them to do. A half hour with God, limited to doing His will in His way, is worth more than a million years doing the best in our own self and energy. All fleshly effort will be burned to ash and will not make it into eternity.
Have you recognized the fact that you are bought with a price, that you are not your own? If so, you have no right to decide even the smallest matters in your life. What kind of commitment have you made to Christ? Are you just "returning a favor" in your Christian service, or have you surrendered the totality of your life and everything in it to His control? Are you still the one who is running around with brilliant ideas, seeking to do this and that for God? Or are you one who is so committed to Christ that you are not motivated nor persuaded by anything external?
Are you dead to the voices of others, your own ego and ambitions, but alive to the voice of the Holy Spirit? If the life of Paul has any secret for us, it is this, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21).
Sermon Outline
- I. The Commitment God Wants from Us
- A. Waiting for orders, not taking matters into our own hands
- B. Trusting in God's sovereignty and timing
- II. The Problem with Modern-Day Christianity
- A. Assuming God needs our frantic efforts to save Him
- B. Failing to recognize our position as bondslaves to Christ
- III. The Value of Waiting on God
- A. A half hour with God is worth more than a million years of self-effort
- B. Fleshly effort will not make it into eternity
- IV. Recognizing Our Position as Bondslaves
- A. Acknowledging we are bought with a price and not our own
- B. Surrendering our lives to Christ's control
Key Quotes
“A half hour with God, limited to doing His will in His way, is worth more than a million years doing the best in our own self and energy.” — K.P. Yohannan
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).” — K.P. Yohannan
“Have you recognized the fact that you are bought with a price, that you are not your own?” — K.P. Yohannan
Application Points
- We should surrender our lives to Christ's control and recognize that we are bought with a price and not our own.
- We should trust in God's sovereignty and timing, rather than trying to take matters into our own hands.
- We should prioritize a half hour with God, limited to doing His will in His way, over a million years of self-effort.