Kent Brandenburg
What Is At Stake?
Here’s a question: What is at stake? A version of this question is asked by David before he became king, when Goliath was blaspheming God before Israel. In 1 Samuel 17:29, he asks, “Is there not a cause?” Is there not something at stake here? I ask you, what is at stake in the work of the church? This is the motivating factor for the time and intensity of our involvement. Israelites were not standing up against Goliath, because, it seemed, that they did not think there was enough at stake. David implied there was with his question. What is greatest at stake is the glory of God, the same as it was in David’s day. Is God going to be glorified by people, but most of all by His people. We say we’re His people. How can His glory not be a cause for us? Isn’t the glory of God at stake? Isn’t that enough for us? In every way, our church needs to be thinking about the glory of God, which relates to God’s Word. Scripture gives the basis, the understanding, for the glory of God. What else is at stake? I believe second are the souls of men, or what might be said, the redemption of men. Souls of men are eternal. They will somewhere throughout all eternity. We’ve got to care about something so valuable as souls. This would indicate that we are with God in our concern. The Lord Jesus Christ came to the earth to redeem men. That part of redemption is complete. Now we need the regular work of God by His people in cooperation with Him. We are fellow-laborers with God. Isn’t that amazing? That’s at stake.