A Lecture delivered by Senior Evangelist (Dr.) John Omachonu on July 27, 2002, the eve of the Harvest of the Elect taking place at the Celestial Church of Christ, Voice of Grace Parish, Ewing, New Jersey. The event is part of the S/E Lawrence Olayinka Memorial Lecture 3.
A man described by his friends as Christian, saint and martyr once wrote, and I quote, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him to come and die,” the man was Dietrich Bonhoeffer. When Christ calls a man or woman, it is actually an invitation to come and die. What does this mean? I shall spend the entire lecture on that question. But, first, who was Dietrich Bonhoeffer? Throughout my lecture tonight, I shall be making references to the great man, for as we all know, it is only when we begin to look at the lives of those who have gone before us and learning from them, that we really begin to grow. So bear, with me. After all, this is a memorial lecture.
Dietrich Beonhoeffer, was a German immigrant who according to some of his friends was one of the firsts as well as one of the bravest and courageous witnesses against idolatry. He was a man of clear convictions, unpretentious humility, a man who saw the truth and spoke it without any fear whatsoever. He practiced what some of his friends called Christian Humanism – for he offered his life for the truth that he understood to be grounded in Christian faith. His devotion to the cause of the oppressed and his “unshakeable steadfastness” were some of his strongest attributes. He was born into a Christian family. At age seventeen, he entered Tubingen University in Germany to study theology. He also studied theology at the Union theological Seminary in New York. One of his friends wrote concerning him, “In the light of his achievement and in the prospect of what he might have achieved, his death is a great tragedy. And added, “But worldly standards cannot measure the loss adequately.”
Tonight, in this hallowed place – the Voice of Grace parish – we pay homage, through this and other lectures, to a man – S/E Olayinka – whose achievement we cannot fully measure, and whose potential or prospect of success equally we cannot comprehend. But like Dietrich and other saints, God loves our dear brother, Lawrence Olayinka, more than we ever can. And so for this unconditional love of God and the fact that Olayinka’s life has now become an annual celebration, let us gives thanks to God as we observe a moment of silence in his honor. May the soul of the faithfully departed, through the mercy of god, rest in peace. Amen.
When God calls a man or woman, He calls him or her to come and die. What does this saying mean? Who can understand it? It could mean many things. It may mean that the path of saints is not as glamorous as many of us may think. It may appear attractive on the surface, but underneath is something deeper than glamour. It may mean sickness or suffering, it may mean different kinds of temptation and yes, it may mean even death. Jesus himself said in the book of John the 12th Chapter, verses 24-26,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall
into the ground and die, it abideth alone, but if it die, it
bringeth forth much fruit…He that loveth his life shall
lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep
it unto life eternal.”
Meaning that when we submit totally to the will of God, not caring for our life, yet, believing that whatever happens is the perfect will of God, we will gain eternal life and Jesus will raise us up in the end. In John 10:17, Jesus again said, “Therefore, doth my father love me, I lay down my life, that I may take it again.” So, in the path of the saints, Jesus invites us to trade. Jesus is the seller and we are the buyers. We give up this worldly body in exchange for the heavenly one; we trade in sorrow for joy; sickness for health, and death for life everlasting.
In one of his many writings Bonhoeffer writes,
“When a man really gives up trying to make something out of
himself – a saint, or converted sinner, or a churchman… a
righteous or unrighteous man…when in the fullness of tasks,
questions, success or ill-hap, experiences and perplexities, a man
throws himself into the arms of God…then he wakes with Christ
in Gethsemane. That is faith… and it is thus that he becomes a
man and a Christian.”
The key phrase there is “throws himself into the arms of God.” The saints have thrown themselves in the arms of God , not caring about the things of this world, where the next meal will come from, where one would lay down his head, or what apparel to put on. The saints have come to understand the word of God spoken in Luke 12 that says,
“And seek not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink,
neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do
the nations of the world seek after, and your Father
knoweth that ye have need of these things. Rather,
seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall
be added unto you.”
My friends, the path of the saints are littered with all sorts of temptations, trials and tribulations. That is why John 4:24 warns that “God is a spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” If you cannot or do want to serve God in the spirit, leave him a lone and go your own way. But do not play with him. A long time ago, I read some where that those who trifle with divinity, pay a hefty price. That price could be death. The path of the saint is not easy to walk. Unless God has called you and is with you, no one can walk it. That is also why Paul cautioned, Timothy that, “… If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt . to teach; Not given to wine, no striker not greedy or filthy lucre, but patient, not a brawler ( i.e. not given to fighting), nor covetous.”
These qualities are critical in a person who has been set aside for the work of God because as Matt. 7:14 tells us “… strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” I say to you, that only the elect shall find it. Therefore, those who walk or aspire to walk in the path of saints, must make sure that they have been called. Matt 12:31, “… all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, but blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven men.”
The answer to these questions depends on your mission and goals in the house of God. For some the path to sainthood is joyful, for others sorrowful. It depends on what your goals are, and what is important to you. David writes in the 20th. Psalm,
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses; but we (true believers) will remember the name of the Lord our God.”
David also writes in Psalm 34 that “Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivereth them out of them all.” At the same time, David writes, “The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from earth.” So, it depends on you.
Writing about Moses, the 11th Chapter of Hebrews points out that,
Abel pleased God with his harvest because he understood faith was essential to any sacrifice presented to God. Enoch was translated because he pleased God. Noah found favor with God because of his righteousness. Abraham never doubted God in anything, and God counted that as righteousness; Sara remained faithful to God, therefore, God made her mother of Isaac- the child of promise, and a mother to many nations. Therefore, how joyful or sorrowful the path of the saint is depends on who you are and what your goals and objectives are in the house of the Lord.
In Phil. 3:14, Paul wrote, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” The word “press” not only suggests that the journey to eternal life is a struggle, but let’s you know that from the beginning, eternal life was Paul’s main focus. As you may recall, Paul was on the way to Damascus to arrest Christians when he was hit by a blast of God’s light along with the voice of God asking why do you persecute me? He repented and became one of the greatest apostles that ever lived. Still, because the way to sainthood is treacherous, after many bouts with the Roman authorities – many of which landed him in prison – Paul was executed by Emperor Nero.
Then, after preaching boldly on the Day of Pentecost, during which as many as three thousand people received the Holy Spirit and became Christians, Peter, the leader of apostles and of the early church, like Jesus was crucified by the Roman Emperor. The difference is that Peter was hung upside down. Before that, as you might remember, Jesus having changed his name from Peter to the rock said in Matt. 16:18, “… Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” What Jesus obviously didn’t tell Peter was how rough and treacherous the path of the saints can be. But, the end, for those who believe is eternal life.
Senior Evangelist Olayinka, the man whose memory we celebrate tonight, obviously chose the way of the cross – a costly choice. He did so by serving faithfully to the end.
What is your choice? Tonight , I tell you my brethren, we have all made a choice, whether we know it or not. I know this because the word of God tells us that, “by their fruit ye shall know them.” Your activities and mine in the house of God and outside, will tell the world which path you have chosen – that of the saint or that of Satan the devil. Gal.6 says, “Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.”
We have to options. There are two options or choices opened to all Christians. One option is what some call “cheap grace” and the other is called “costly grace.”
But before we can understand the difference between the two, we must first of all appreciate the free and boundless grace of God. It is the grace that God gave us when he concluded that only the blood of Jesus can save mankind from sin. He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to the cross to die for us, and said that anyone who believes on him shall be saved. Three passages tell us clearly that without Jesus, there is no grace. First, John 1:17, tells us that “…grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” Second, Ephesians 2:8 reminds us that “… by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” Then, 1 Cor. 6:20 announces that “…ye are brought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in spirit which are God’s.”
SO, WHAT IS CHEAP GRACE? Cheap grace is grace without discipleship. It is grace without Jesus Christ. And believe it or not, that is what many among us tonight profess. According to one writer, cheap grace is the grace that we bestow upon ourselves. Cheap grace results when God’s children rebel against God rather than following his precepts. When that happens, the free grace that God shed upon us through His Son Jesus Christ, becomes desecrated and polluted. It is from that pollution that cheap grace comes. But that’s not all. A church that sanctions cheap grace is one that preaches comes. But that’s not all. A church that sanctions cheap grace is one that preaches forgiveness without requiring repentance of its members, preaches grace without discipleship, and preaches grace without Jesus Christ. In short, such a church is denying the living God. Such a church is not really a church because it does not acknowledge the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Only through the blood of Jesus is the sinner is justified, that is, declared not guilty. Do you know of such a church? A church that condones sin yet preaches grace? That type of grace is cheap grace. It is the treasure of wickedness; the treasure of the wicked, which according to Proverbs 10:2, profits nothing.
By contrast, there is “costly grace.” It is the grace that we ought to be fighting for. By we, I am referring to dedicated and committed Christians – like Paul, like Timothy, like peter, like Olayinka. In 1 Tim. Chapter One, Paul admonished Timothy to hold on to or guard that “good thing” or treasure that had been entrusted to him by the Holy Spirit. That’s costly grace. But that’s not all. Costly grace is that which calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man or woman his or her life; it is costly because through it a man or woman receives the true life ( Jesus said in John 5:24 that he that “…heareth my word hath everlasting life”). Costly grace condemns sin. It is costly because it cost God His only Son. Who among us is willing to sacrifice his or her son for others? God did. That’s costly grace.
Tonight, my brethren, I say to you with a heavy heart that as a church we have lost our focus. In order for us as a church and individuals to know the path of the saints and to follow it, we must redefine our focus.
The fire-clad angel who appeared to Rev. S.B.J Oschoffa, Pastor & Founder, Celestial Church of Christ said that God was sending him to the world because many Christians when in trouble were patronizing fetishism, witchcraft and wizardry. Therefore, when these people die they cannot enter heaven because Satan has put his mark on them. Therefore, according tot he angel, God was sending Oschoffa to spread the news about the redemptive power of Jesus Christ, so these wayward souls might be saved. Tonight I ask you, is Celestial Church of Christ still in the business of wining souls for Jesus Christ? Or are we winning souls for Satan? Is salvation still our mission?
Our focus, like that of apostles Paul, Peter, Timothy, and the like, should and must be Jesus Christ. At his baptism, John the Baptist introduced Jesus to the world as the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. Before Jesus was born, it was prophesied that he will bear the government of this world upon his shoulder. In other words, he will be larger than life itself. Because of this, he was blasphemed against, lied against, falsely accused, mocked as the King of the Jews and spat upon. Then, they crucified him and buried him. A costly price he paid in order for us to live. But the power of God is form everlasting to everlasting. Therefore, on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead and declared that he was still is in possession of all powers in heaven and on earth. I ask you, what price are you willing to pay sainthood/ Joshua said”…choose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, or have never declared Him as your Lord and Savior, tonight I invite you to do so. Tomorrow may be too late. So, seize upon this night.
Like Joshua, I know whom I will serve.
I will serve the living God, the maker of Heaven and earth.
I will serve the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
I will serve the King of kings and the Lord of Lords
I will serve the God of Moses, whose name is I AM. No only that,
I will serve the God of Oschoffa, to whom the angel of the Lord clad in a garment of fire sang this song:
“In my father’s House in Heaven
Very many mansions exist there
Jesus is in there, the angels are in there
Singing Holy, Halleluyah
Time to sound the last bell draweth nigh
That the whole world will congregate
To be paid compensations
According to works of their hand
On my part I’ll do good
Endeavour to be good
I will do good to find salvation
That’s the part of the saints, and me and my household will follow it.
Thank you, and God Bless you.