1 - Introduction - Living like a real Christian Gifts of the Spirit, The final say | Page 11

3. I would do more things that would live on after I was gone.
Maybe it would be good for us today to learn from the over 90’s, because
God does want your life to make a difference and God does want your life
to count for something long after you have gone. Not only does He have
the same desire for this as you, but He has given you the tools through
which this can become a reality. The gifts of the Spirit, which we have
spoken about, when used with passion and flare, will always lead toa
“difference-making” life. When you start exercising your gifts within the
body of Christ, no matter what they are, and you do that over a consistent
period of time, people’s lives will be touched and changed. The supernatural
dynamic of God working through you, will energise you, encourage you and
uplift you as well.
Last week our church had the privilege of hosting the funeral of a great
man of God known to many of you, Ray Oosthuis. I sat in wonder and awe
as those close to him reflected on his life. They spoke of his kindness and
his passion for the things of God. They spoke of his zeal to use his gifts and
his compassion for people was nothing short of remarkable. At the end of
the funeral I had a perfect picture in my mind of a life well spent, and of a
man who had stored up for himself treasures, not only onearth, but
certainly plenty in Heaven. Ray Oosthuis, when he closed his eyes on earth,
would have opened his eyes in Heaven to hear the words,“Well done good
and faithful servant. Enter now into the joy of the Lord.” This, people,
should be said of all of our lives. It does not happen by chance, but it
happens by choice.I hope that you make the right choice.
In our reading above, we have the story of a woman who made a
phenomenal choice. It’s the story of the woman who came into the
presence of Jesus unannounced and broke a very expensive jar of perfume
over him. This was an enormous sacrifice on her behalf – the equivalent of
a whole year’s wages. In one instant it was all gone and her sacrifice was
complete. Some of the disciples were irate and passed comments
like,“What a waste!”;“We could have sold that jar of perfume for a lot of
money and fed the poor!”; “Surely that was not the best thing she could
have done. We could have thought of a better way to spend the money.”
They must have been embarrassed by Jesus’ response when He most likely
would have said something like,“You guys are right. There may well have
been a better way to spend the money, but what she has done for me is
beautiful!”