Are you tired? Are your eyes heavy? Have you fallen asleep?
This Fall I have had the opportunity to gather weekly with a small group of believers from our church. We have been reading through a book by John Bunyan called Pilgrims Progress. It has been many years since I read this book and I have been encouraged to read through it again.
In stage 9 of Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian and Hopeful on their way to the Celestial City entered into a region called the Enchanted Ground. While traveling though it, they both became very tired and Hopeful desired to stop and sleep for a bit. Christian strongly asserted that in no way they should take a nap in that place because the shepherds they had spent time with had warned them not to stop in that region and sleep for any reason.
What is fascinating and encouraging is what they did to keep themselves awake. They began to discuss the things of God! Christian asked Hopeful to share His testimony of salvation through Jesus Christ. As Hopeful shared his testimony of faith he spent considerable time expressing the lost state of his soul before salvation, which was being destroyed by the things of the world.
Hopeful shared that once he heard the truth of the gospel of Jesus, his sinfulness was made known to him. He came to an understanding that his sins were leading him to death. It was the good news of Christ contained in the Holy Scriptures, which convicted his heart. Yet even after this heart impact he explained that there was no true heart change.
He tried many things to better himself and came to a realization that none of those works could save him and that even His best deeds were worthless before the Lord. It was not until this realization that Hopeful came to saving grace through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. The book of Romans clearly communicates this truth for our understanding.
Romans 6:21–23 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (ESV)
Once we come to our end in the conviction and guilt of our sin and realize the truth that our greatest works have no saving value, we begin to realize there is no way we can make it into the Celestial City of God (Heaven and eternal life). Praise be to the Lord God Almighty, who by His grace gives us the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ through His Word and by the declaration of the gospel by His people!
What is this good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ? The Apostle Paul states it clearly in I Corinthians 15:3-4 “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” All who believe this truth that Jesus is the only way of salvation are saved by faith in Him.
What can we learn from Christian and Hopeful's experience about staying awake on our own spiritual walk? Beware the "Enchanted Ground" of the world. This world, with its many distractions and allurements, can lull us into a spiritual slumber. We must be vigilant and actively engaged in our faith, by prayer, reading the Word of God and not neglecting to be in fellowship with other believers. These practices nourish our spiritual lives, reminding us of God's love and grace to strengthen us and persevere on our journey.
We are reminded that the fellowship of believers is such a valuable gift to Christians on their pilgrimage in this world. As we remind one another of our life before Christ and the grace of God that has brought us to salvation, we are awakened to continue to walk in holiness and strive for the glory of God in everything we say and do.
Are you feeling tempted to rest spiritually? Consider today, the great benefit of sharing your testimony of faith with other Christians. By openly sharing God's saving grace, you can encourage both yourself and others to continue in the Lord's strength and avoid falling asleep on the path to eternal life.
1 Thessalonians 5:6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. (ESV)
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Paul