[This devotion is taken from the concluding section of the sermon, “Does God Need Our Help to Fulfill His Plan?” preached February 24, 2019. Audio will be available at this page soon.]

“Apart from Me, you can do nothing.”

So says the Lord Jesus (John 15:5).

Really, Jesus? Nothing?

It sure seems like we do things apart from Jesus.

So, think: What can we accomplish?

Consider: We have abilities, intelligence, experiences, family backgrounds, and education. Building on those, we plan, we research, we produce, we work hard, we train our minds and bodies, we develop our talents, we start and grow businesses, we write books, we perform jobs, we love our families, we raise our children, we serve our countries, we help our cities. And so, we – that is, many hardworking and successful people who on a human level are good workers, good neighbors, good citizens, and good friends, Christians and non-Christians – accomplish something of value. Something valuable to us. Something valued by our society. Something that seems good, useful, or helpful.

But note two points:

First: God needs none of that. Remember the story in Ezekiel 37. God commands His prophet to preach to dry, dead bones – and God creates a huge army. He needs none of our efforts to accomplish His purposes, to fulfill His desires. As the Apostle Paul says:

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, … is [not] served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. (Acts 17:24-25, emphasis added)

Second: As stated in those verses, all that we accomplish is a gift from Him. All of it – whether we are Christian or not, whether we actively depended on Him in the process or not. As Deuteronomy 8:17-18 tells us:

Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth.

So apply that idea to yourself:

Not one iota of your success, your hard work, your contribution came from you apart from God. Hear the Apostle Paul once again:

What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? (1 Corinthians 4:7)

So reflect on your accomplishments. What might you be tempted to be proud of?

For myself: I might be proud of:

• Earning a PhD
• Publishing numerous economics articles
• Leaving a good profession to become a full-time minister of the Gospel
• Being a husband for nearly 40 years
• Being the father of six children
• Planting this church
• Bringing the Perspectives Course to Charlotte, etc, etc.

Make your own list. And then if you are in Christ, pray something like this with me:

All this is from you, Father God. Whatever has been good, fruitful, productive, helpful, loving, or wise in my life is all from you. Whatever is messed up, wrongheaded, hurtful, hateful, or foolish is from me. If each second You had not given me life and breath, I would have been dead. If You had not graciously given me abilities, perseverance, empathy, and love, my life would have been one fruitless hell hole after another. Yet in Christ Jesus you have chosen me, you have loved me, you have set me apart as holy. You call me your child and assure me nothing will separate me from your love. And you call me along with all your people to be Your agents, Your  ambassadors! You make Your appeal through us: “Be reconciled to God!” (2 Corinthians 5:20). All praise to You, O Father. I love you. Though You do not need me, I gladly serve you. Use this service for Your glory. Fulfill Your plan through me and the rest of Your Church.

So, always remember:

It’s not about you, your ministry, your gifts, your calling – it’s all about God.

You are here to show God’s image, to display Christ. And Christ is both the suffering servant  and the conquering King, both the sacrificial Lamb and the majestic Lion. As we display Christ, we may display Christ- as-Conqueror or Christ-as-Sufferer. Or both. That’s God’s choice. He apportions gifts and outcomes as He chooses. But it is all working together to sum up all things in Christ, pointing to that final day when Jesus returns, and those from every tribe and tongue praise His Name (Revelation 7:9-12).

So there is no place for pride. And there is no place for despair.

Nor is there any place for self-exaltation or church-exaltation or country-exaltation.

Only God-exaltation. Christ exaltation.

May we acknowledge in our hearts what is true in reality: To Him alone belong the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.

Amen.