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| Clarence Herold Lund ~ November 11, 1908 - October 31, 1978 |
This is my first service in a Korean church.
I want to say that I am happy to be a messenger for God to you. My prayer is that you who are Christians may be used of God in persuading those who are lost in sin to turn to Christ who offers the abundant life.
Someone may ask, "Does it pay to be a Christian?"
Yes, it pays
1) From a physical standpoint.
A Christian will abstain from that which will harm him physically. A Christian is not a glutton nor a drunkard. A famous New York physician said, "A vicious person contains in his body the seed of his own destruction. The Christian is the best fitted of all persons to withstand disease and live healthily." To the Christian the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
2) It pays to be a Christian from a financial standpoint.
A true Christian is careful and thrifty. He does not waste his money in sinful pleasure.
Just think what this world would be like if all people were Christians. There would be no crime bill. Taxes would be cut. There would be no war. There would be peace and harmony between individuals and nations. Love would reign.
Some of the best business men I know attribute their success to the application of Christian principles in their business. The Golden Rule, which is: "Do unto others as you want others to do unto you," pays.
3) It pays to be a Christian from the intellectual standpoint.
Christianity always brings enlightenment - intellectual progress. A true Christian does not have a closed mind. He is eager to learn that which is profitable and he is also eager to teach others the better ways of life.
4) The last thing I want to mention is that it pays to be a Christian from a moral and spiritual standpoint.
In living the Christian life we enjoy peace, joy and hope. We enjoy the blessings of a clear conscience. If we invest our lives in God's service He will reward us with the highest dividends.
Christianity offers an eternity of bliss where there will be no sorrow, no sickness and no death.
"Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what the Lord has prepared for those who love him."
For your families' sake, your country's sake and for your own souls' sake, I say, "Be a true Christian because it pays."
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A talk given to Korean children
This evening I want to tell you about a little Russian boy. What I will relate to you took place when I was five years old. I was returning from Norway with my parents when we first saw the Russian boy. He was about 10 or 12 years old. We boarded the same train in New York. As we traveled westward we asked the little boy some questions. We said, "What is your name?" He answered, "North Dakota, North Dakota." We asked him where he came from and his reply was, "North Dakota, North Dakota." He could not understand us and we could not understand him. Due to the fact that we were traveling toward North Dakota and that his one reply to all our questions was, "North Dakota," we knew for sure where the little fellow was going. Furthermore, there was an address tag pinned to his clothing.
Why did the little boy leave his home in Russia? Why was he traveling alone? Where were his parents? These were some questions that we were asking ourselves. That the little boy was poor was apparent. One kind lady gave him a pair of her long stockings. He was so glad to receive them. He was also given some food that he ate with good appetite.
One day the little boy was looking at a picture in a newspaper. The picture was a war scene. He pointed to some dead people in the picture. Tears streamed down his little cheeks when he said, "Mamma, Papa." Then we knew that his mother and father had been killed in the war.
Why was he going to America? Who had paid his fare? Most likely some relative had furnished the fare and was offering the boy a home in the new world.
Boys and girls! We, too, are travelers. We as Christians are on our way to the wonderful Land of Promise. Jesus, our Saviour, has gone before us to prepare the heavenly home for those who love Him. May we, like the Russian boy, not fail to let people know where we are going. Our loving Saviour has promised us the ticket which does not cost us a cent. The ticket must be received by faith through grace. He has paid for the ticket by giving His life on Calvary's Cross. Simply by trusting in Christ as our Saviour and Lord we are guaranteed the heavenly home where good-byes are never spoken; where tears of sorrow are never shed; where there will never be any suffering. In that beautiful Land there will be no disappointments.
On the way may we not forget to be kind and honest. May we do all in our power to make the journey pleasant for all fellow travelers. May we not fail to tell the unfortunate people who know nothing about our Saviour that whosoever will may get on the salvation train that leads to Glory.
Let us pray:
Our dear heavenly Father, we thank Thee for Jesus, our Saviour, who has provided the eternal Home for us. We thank Thee for all the blessings that come to us as we travel day by day. Here we do not always understand each other but Thou dost understand each one of us. The more we know Thee the more we will love Thee. The more we love Thee the more we will love humanity. Love expresses itself in service so help us to serve Thee and humanity so that when we see Thee face to face we may hear "Well done."
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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This morning I want to say a few words to you about man's thirst for God.
"As the hart (or deer) panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the Living God."
These words were read from the 42nd Psalm.
When the streams dry up and water is scarce, the deer does not waste any time in finding a place where its thirst can be quenched. It does not depend on anyone to bring it water. Shortly before I entered the chaplaincy, I saw two deer right next to our back yard in Nooksack, Washington. They had left the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, risking their lives in the search of water. The picture the Psalmist gives us is that of a deer panting after water in an arid region.
It must have water or it must die.
As surely as the deer thirsts after the water brooks, so man thirsts after God who gives the living water that satisfies the soul.
The tragedy is that man, as a rule, tries to quench his soul's thirst by drinking from the gutters of sin instead of enjoying the crystal clear fountain that flows from the throne of God.
As a young man in my teens I heard the most enticing invitation. It came from Him who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Long ago He extended the very same invitation when He cried, "If anyone is athirst, let him come to me and drink. He, who believes in me - out of his innermost being streams of living water will flow." I accepted the invitation. My experience can be summed up in the words of the song writer:
"I heard the voice of Jesus say, 'Behold I freely give the living water; thirsty one, stoop down and drink, and live.' I came to Jesus and I drank of that life giving stream; my thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in Him."
By accepting the drink we are not only blessed but we become a blessing. When the sinful woman of Samaria drank of the living water, her life was changed. Before she had lived a life of shame, but by drinking of the water that was not in the well she became a respectable woman, a zealous missionary.
The greatest blessings that I have received have come to me because I accepted the Master's invitation. Life before me is filled with blessings, yes, eternal life is mine because of the life-giving water.
In Jesus' name I extend the invitation to you: "Let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely! Amen.
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Talk at a Korean orphanage
Dear Boys and Girls:
American boys and girls like to hear stories. Would you like to hear a story?
There was a little boy in America who was so fond of cherries. Do you have cherries in Korea? Cherries have a delicious flavor. They are sweet and juicy.
One day the little boy was walking down a road when he came to a cherry orchard. On the trees were good ripe cherries. When he saw them his mouth watered and he thought to himself, "Oh, I wish I could have some of those cherries!" But the little boy was honest so he would not steal even though he was hungry and the fruit was good tasting.
He was just leaving the orchard when he heard the deep voice of a big man - "Little boy! Little boy! Would you like to have some cherries?" The boy filled with joy said, "Yes, sir, I sure would."
"Well," said the man, who was the orchard owner, "you pick this little pail full of cherries for me - then you may have a handful of cherries." In a very short time the little fellow had picked all the cherries that the big man wanted, so the owner said, "Now, little man, you may have the handful of cherries." The boy looked at his little hand and then he looked at the big hand of the orchard owner. What do you think the little fellow said? He said, "You give me the handful of cherries."
So the big hand of the orchard owner grabbed a handful of cherries and gave them to the little boy - filling both his little hands to overflowing.
The orchard owner reminds me of God, our heavenly Father, who knows our needs. He loves us and He is willing to give us blessings not according to our little capacity but according to His wealth and measure.
It is through Jesus that we learn to know God as our heavenly Father. He will never die. He lives and He will supply the needs of all who trust Him.
Here is a verse from the Bible that I wish you will memorize:
"My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:19.
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How to find real joy
First of all I want to say that real joy is not found in earthly wealth. So many in my home country say and think, "If I had a new home, or a new car, or a million dollars, I would be happy," but that is not true. Some of the wealthiest people in the world are the most miserable.
The prophet Habakkuk (3:17-18) said: "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." What does this mean? For you Korean people it means that the rice and barley crops may fail; the vegetable crops may fail so that there will be no kimchi; the oxen may die so that you will have no meat and no animals to till the soil - yet you can have real joy. In a homeless, poverty stricken condition your life can bubble over with joy.
What is the secret? You say, "Chaplain! I want to be happy! Where can true happiness be found?" Did you hear what the prophet said? "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord."
Friends! Real joy is experienced by those who know and serve the Lord. In Paul's letter to the Galatians in the 5th chapter and the 22nd verse we read, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and temperance. Joy is the fruit of the Christian life.
There are different kinds of joy.
There is the joy of salvation.
When a poor lost sinner confesses his sins to the Lord and trusts in Christ as his Saviour - the result is joy.
"O happy day, that fixed my choice
On Thee my Saviour and my God!
Well may this glowing heart rejoice
And tell its raptures all abroad.
Happy day, happy day, when Jesus washed my sins away!
He taught me how to watch and pray, and live rejoicing every day."
Are you rejoicing today because your sins are forgiven and you are on your way to heaven? Jesus said, "I have come that your joy might be full."
There is also the joy of service.
David, the Psalmist, speaks of serving the Lord with gladness and coming before his presence with singing (Ps. 100:2). Oh, what joy the disciples experienced in serving the Lord - "The seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name" (Luke 10:17).
In the Acts of the Apostles we read time and time again about the apostles' joy in suffering for Jesus' sake.
If you want real joy, my friend, you will find it in unselfish service.
The voice of the Lord says, "Whom shall I send and who will go for us?" (Is. 6:8). Happy is the man or woman, boy or girl, who answers, "Here am I. Send me."
Another source of joy is found in Christian fellowship.
"What a fellowship, what a joy divine
Leaning on the everlasting arms."
In Acts 8:5-8 we read, "Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voices, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city."
Wherever Christ is received and obeyed there Christian fellowship is enjoyed. I believe the nearest thing to heaven on earth is the Christian home. What a blessed fellowship is enjoyed when mother, father and children all love the Lord. As Christians we rejoice in the well-being of our fellow men. The Apostle John wrote to Gaius: "I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth."
A great source of joy is the Christian's hope.
We rejoice because "all things work together for good to them that love God" (Romans 8:28). The future for the Christian is brighter than the past and the present. Some day, my friends, we shall be at home with the Lord where sorrow, sickness and death will be no more. In His presence there will be fullness of joy. For God's people, joy cometh in the morning.
In the 8th chapter of Acts we read about Philip the Evangelist who led an African to Jesus. In the 39th verse we read, "The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing." Most likely most of you will never see me again. My prayer is that you, like the African, may leave this place rejoicing because your names are written in heaven and because you are in the center of God's will.
May the Lord be with you until we meet where tears are never shed and where good-byes are never spoken.
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