Sermon: Among the Few

By the Grace of God
#1643A
Mark Schindler
Given 19-Mar-22; 41 minutes

description: In August 1940, Prime Minister Winston Churchill proclaimed, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few," referring to the spectacular victory of the Royal Air Force over the German Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain. Initially, the primary motivation for responding to God's call may be a panicky desire to save our skin, gloming onto a place of safety like Petra or another physical location rather than realizing that Christ is the real place of safety. The apostle Paul reminds us that God has called the foolish to put to silence the wise (I Corinthians 1:26), but nevertheless, has provided spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:10) enabling us to endure fiery trials, battling demonic forces in high places. In a very real sense, we are God's RAF, part of the "few" called to be a vanguard in the initial phases of a long spiritual battle. It is imperative that we use the spiritual armor God has given us, continually perfecting our battle skills. We need to emulate: 1.) Noah, who obeyed in faith without doubting, 2.) Jacob, who developed persistence in battle, 3.) Moses in his sacrificial service, 4.) David, in his willingness to admit his sins, and 5.) Paul, in his zeal exercised in the middle of adversity. We should thank God for our faith tried as gold tested in fire, enabling us to be rendered holy as God is holy, realizing that we have been set aside as a holy priesthood. Realizing that we have been surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who have preceded us (Hebrews 12:1), we have a solemn obligation to follow the same commission, serving as a vanguard for those who will follow us.

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transcript:

Two weeks ago on the Sabbath, March 5, 2022, Nancy and I celebrated the 39^th anniversary of our baptism into the body of Christ. Although this year on March 5th it was unusually warm for Chicago with a high of 71, in 1983 the 75-degree high still stands as the warmest March 5^th on record. Although temperatures that warm and pleasant are rare in March this just seemed to be another part of a perfect day.

I can remember the day vividly. Services were held in the gymnasium of the Washington School where Nancy and I, along with 4 others were baptized in a horse trough in the boys’ locker room shortly after Sabbath services. I can still see Charles Halliar, one of the local elders who assisted John Ritenbaugh that Sabbath, smiling broadly as he confirmed he had successfully ensured that my knees remained under the water as John dunked me.

As Nancy and I exited the building to the parking lot, where our four young children were waiting with our friends Jack and Janet, who were watching over them while we were inside being buried with Jesus Christ, I can remember thinking of what a beautifully warm day it was, and from then on it was going to be one beautiful day after the other.

I can also remember thinking what a blessing it was for us to have been given this tremendous opportunity and yet, at the same time a bit sad that I could not share this incredible joyous occasion with my parents.

Nancy and I had already been keeping the Sabbath and trying to live and learn the truth of God’s Word for several years before we came in contact with Worldwide. But our parents, especially mine, only saw it as depriving our kids of all the joys of Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc., to be stigmatized by always being the odd duck in the room. However, now that we were baptized things undoubtedly had to get better even on that front. On that beautiful spring day, this incredibly pleasant day was just another sign of all the fair weather ahead!

Of course, as we all know fair weather is not the order of the day for those who are in the process of growth to the measure of the stature to the fullness of Christ. We all know how it really goes and in keeping with my weather analogy, a little farther down the road, that same year, John Ritenbaugh had to make a decision to cancel Sabbath services on December 24, 1983 because he knew that if he did not cancel formal Sabbath services that day, he would be putting God’s people, especially the elderly, in grave danger.

He knew it was his duty as a responsible shepherd to make a very hard but necessary choice to cancel the assembly of God’s people in the Chicago area that day, because December 24, 1983, has, to this day, gone down in history as the coldest day ever in Chicago! It was a verified actual—without the wind chill—temperature of -25, and throughout that day temperatures only rose to the life threatening high of -11! If people were even able to get their cars started, they would not turn them off once they got to their destination for fear that they would not start again!

I used these two weather events because, I think in retrospect, they metaphorically do a good job of putting our lives within the Body of Christ in a perspective all of us who have been baptized for any length of time can readily recognize.

The day we were buried with Jesus Christ and rose a new man most of us only recognized a beautiful spring day with only a few chilly days ahead, at the worst. But in time we all recognize that we are going to be facing potentially catastrophic circumstances that we really could not imagine on that warm spring day, because our Great God is working something out with each of us that is going to bring us to the fullness that is in Jesus Christ as only the Father and Son can.

Now before going any farther in this sermon, I would like to repeat a quote from Winston Churchill from one of the most famous speeches men have ever given. I hope you will keep these words in your minds as we go through this message.

During the height of the Battle for Britain in the early part of World War II, one and half years before Pearl Harbor and the United States entry into the horrible conflict, Churchill said:

'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.'

And the following is from an article I found on the UK Parliament website:

The summer of 1940 saw the Battle of Britain, the aerial conflict between the Royal Air Force and the German Luftwaffe, reach its apex. When in this speech Churchill stated, 'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few,' he was paying tribute to the enormous efforts made by the fighter pilots and bomber crews to establish air superiority over England. Churchill used the example of the success of the RAF to promote confidence in the British war effort, stressing that it was better equipped for modern warfare than in the Great War with the numerical strength of the army, the naval command of the sea and scientific superiority in weaponry and intelligence. Finally, Churchill sought the moral high ground over the Nazi regime as he pledged to bring food and aid to occupied areas affected by military blockades, thus laying down the framework for post-war programs of relief and rehabilitation.

Just as an aside, my personal opinion regarding this iconic speech that was broadcast around the world, is that Winston Churchill was not just stirring his own people to action but was reminding the isolationist American people that those same RAF pilots were the few sacrificially standing in the gap against the evil dagger of totalitarianism, even though the USA was not ready to see it.

Also, as an interesting anecdote from Major General Hastings Ismay, who was riding in the car with Churchill on his way to deliver his now-famous speech, Churchill’s original stirring sentence was, “Never in the history of mankind have so many owed so much to so few.” But as he said it in the car Ismay said to Churchill, “What about Jesus and His disciples?” At this point Winston Churchill immediately changed it to, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

It is interesting that even the greatest of men recognize that nothing compares to the work of Jesus Christ! This, brethren, is vitally important to us who have been called to follow in His footsteps, even in suffering as He suffered, as God moves His plan forward.

However, we need to keep this clearly in perspective so we will be turning to a couple very familiar scriptures to keep this in focus and relative to ourselves.

First we will turn to I Corinthians 1.

I Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

I Corinthians 1:26-31 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."

Now please turn to Ephesians 6.

Ephesians 6:10-18 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

All of us have probably seriously asked ourselves along the way, while going through our own custom designed and very troubling trials, could God really be calling me and if He is, why do I continue to struggle with so many things? But have we ever stopped to consider when God chose us as the weak of this world to confound the mighty, and gave us the power of His Holy Spirit and all of His perfect armaments at baptism, we became part of those few who have become, by the perfect will of God, living sacrifices for so many?

Brethren, have you ever considered that we are God’s RAF that must wage this battle now for the many who will come after us? I read I Corinthians 1 and then Ephesians 6 because we must keep this in its proper perspective. The many that will come after us will still have their own battles to wage, but this is all God’s work by His power and might, and He has given us this awesome privilege to be among the few who are at the point of the spear.

As we go from sortie to sortie God continues to show us that each has been very carefully chosen by Him, and while at different levels of conversion, with some doubts and discouragement along the way, God is intimately involved in each of our lives and will not let us fail as He continues to give us the privilege to grow in grace and knowledge.

Two weeks ago while considering that Sabbath 39 years ago and all the ups and downs God has taken us through as we struggled to faithfully follow Jesus Christ, I reviewed my notes from Sabbath services that day, March 5, 1983.

As I was thinking and praying about it, I realized that those things spoken on that day 39 years ago had a very significant set of marching orders within them that I had not seen. They gave me quite a bit to think about over the last few weeks and especially as we prepare for the Passover. I hope with a quick overview this afternoon you may see the common bond we share in our responsibility before our Great God, as we continue as the few God has called by His strength alone to be in the vanguard of this fight.

The first thing I noticed was in the sermonette, which had been given by one of the deacons about the place of safety that closed with the following comment from the speaker:

The Place of Safety is not a doctrine of the church from the standpoint of where it is going to be, but a doctrine in that there will be a place!

What I thought about as I went over my notes was how off track so many in the church were at that time, myself included, in focusing on heading for Petra and watching the missiles fly overhead, as we were in final training for Christ’s return. Without a doubt God’s Word points to a place of safety and I am not trying in this short message to argue yay or nay. What I am trying to do is point to the fact that when we take our eyes off the big picture and Jesus Christ, and set our sights on the interim steps, especially when it satisfies our desire to sidestep learning to live as Christ lives, we tend to skew the numbers, so to speak.

Case in point: the sermonette speaker that day referred to, among other scriptural proofs, Luke 17:31-37, that fit nicely into his idea for identifying the location of the place of safety. So, let us turn to there and we will begin where the speaker did that day in verse 31:

Luke 17:31-37 "In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left." And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?" So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."

The speaker explained the verses 31-32 as those bogged down with too many worldly goods; verse 33 as people seeking the church at the last minute; verses 34-36 as converted as opposed to unconverted coming from the all over the world as he proposed, indicating half in light (day) and half in darkness (night). But the topper is the explanation of verse 37, the body being the body of Christ and eagles as angels.

I would suggest that if you have any question about these verses you go to Richard Ritenbaugh’s article, “Is The Kingdom of God Within You” and David Grabbe’s article, “Where Eagles are Gathered.” Both of them will give you a much clearer picture of what Jesus Christ was teaching here and it was not about the place of safety.

Brethren, I am not denying that God promises a place of safety during days so bad that no flesh would be saved alive, but that is not our focus. Perhaps in some way we may be trying to sidestep our duty and responsibilities that may require the ultimate sacrifice to serve the many coming after us.

Another point that I considered when reviewing those notes, is that when we do not keep our eyes on the goal we lose focus and begin to try to draw a map that will cause us to try to fit God’s Word into our agenda and our battle plan instead of the other way around.

One of the tools that the RAF had that helped them to be successful in the Battle of Britain was that the British embraced the 1935 invention of radar. This gave the RAF an edge, but only if they used the technology properly to identify the enemy.

We too have the edge if we study and embrace the map to victory God gives in His Word if we rightly divide the word of truth without prejudice.

So the first lesson I would like us to get is do not let yourselves get hung up on a place of safety, allowing yourself to avoid the incredible privilege God has given to us to stay in the front lines of the battle for perfecting our battle skills; as living witnesses of God’s work for the many who will come after us. It may prove to be a quite difficult and may seem overwhelmingly perilous and painful, even to the point of death. But God has fully equipped us to learn and live the truth of His Word in righteousness.

As John Ritenbaugh has mentioned on a number of occasions recently, “We are not here to fix the chaos but to do our work within the chaos.” Jesus Christ even said this in His prayer to His Father the night before He finished His own work as a man.

Please turn with me to John 17.

John 17:12 22 “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.

I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.”

Brethren, our place of safety is in our unified work with the Father, the Son, and the few who have gone before us, sanctified by the learning and living the truth that will ultimately serve the many in the end of God’s plan!

This is where the sermon on that beautiful March Day in 1983 comes in. John gave a sermon on that day regarding the witness of great men that were only great because, “God is great and any person who has true greatness is only that way because God is in Him.” In that sermon John used the example of the work of five different men working within the chaos, but clearly displaying five vital characteristics that must be shared by God’s elect that will only be perfected and displayed in field of battle.

For lack of time, we cannot go into the details that John gave that day of their witness and work as God’s elect—the few—to hold the line for the many. But I want us to consider the five sterling characteristics that were highlighted individually in each one, but must certainly be shared by all those called to be His firstfruits and the few prepared for service to the many who will come later. They must have these five characteristics. John pointed out that these vital characteristics can only be built within the battle:

1. Obedience in faith without any evidence as displayed in Noah’s battle against an absolutely evil world to build the Ark following God’s command.

2. Persistence as displayed in Jacob’s battle to change and fight the good fight overcoming through much pain and suffering.

3. Sacrificial service of Moses to lead the way as the meekest of men, leading and suffering along the way.

4. The absolute willingness of David to admit his sins and submit to whatever correction God chose. We will not necessarily be suffering for our own sins but whether we are or we are not we always need to be making sure we are ready to follow God’s judgments, as we search them out.

5. Zealous work of Paul in the face of any adversity. Paul said that nothing he went through in life could keep him from preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God—in word and deed.

That sermon 39 years ago was a clear reminder that the few God has called now to serve the many to come must be obviously obedient, persistent, sacrificial in serving, quick to repent, and zealous regardless of any of the circumstances we find ourselves in, within the truth of God’s Word.

Brethren, at this point I think we need to consider some of the words from the apostles Peter and John that directly relates to our calling, and the work of the few in preparation for the many.

Please turn to I Peter 1.

I Peter 1:3-9 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

Now turn to I John 3.

I John 3:1-3 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Peter reminds us in verses 5-7 that we can rejoice in the character-building diversity of our trials because of our salvation that will be revealed when Jesus Christ is unveiled to the whole world. And this, along with I John 3:1-3, shows that at the same time the few who hung in there in obedience, persistence, sacrificial service, being quick to repent, and zealous to do the work God, will be revealed to the many because we will have fought the battle against seemingly impossible circumstances with the whole armor of God. We can lay no claim to greatness of ourselves, but if we stay the course, as it says we will be just like Him.

Turn back to I Peter 1.

I Peter 1:13-23 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."

And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.

I Peter 2:1-4 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious; coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious.

I Peter 2:9-17 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Brethren, this is not something that can be accomplished if we turn our focus away from Jesus Christ, and upon anything else. We are in the midst of fiery trials in a world at enmity against God because we are among the few in Christ Jesus preparing for the many to follow.

Finally, please turn with me to the beautiful book of Hebrews, most probably written by the God’s zealous servant Paul.

Hebrews 11:1-3 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Hebrews 11:6-7 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Hebrews 11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

Hebrews 11:24-29 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword.

They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

Hebrews 12:11-14 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:22-24 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Brethren, God has given us the incredible privilege through Jesus Christ to be among the few to be just like Him when the world will see Him as He is, if we continue in our commitment to Him of obedience, persistence, sacrificial service, being quick to repent, and zeal, while rejoicing in those many difficult trials God is using to create His firstfruits.

MS/rwu/drm