Making Room For Jesus - A Word From God
Pastor Leslie Chua
“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
Sometimes, God speaks so loudly and clearly that it is impossible not to hear it. When God speaks in this way, you ignore it at your own loss and peril. We experienced such a surreal moment during our service last Sunday.
It started with our last worship song, entitled ‘Make Room.’ This is how the chorus goes…
And I will make room for you
To do whatever you want to, to do whatever you want to
And I will make room for you
To do whatever you want to, to do whatever you want to
These lyrics are a call to believers to make room for God in our hearts.
It is somewhat strange, and even paradoxical, considering that God already dwells in us through His Holy Spirit. Believers’ bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).
While that may be true, it is also equally true that God is often crowded out of our hearts. We lead busy lives, and our hearts are cluttered with so many things leaving no room for the Lord.
Anchoring the service, Pastor Adeline led the congregation to pause and linger in the presence of God. She urged the church not to rush, but to worship the Lord in an unhurried manner. She recounted the story of Martha and Mary and highlighted how Mary sat at the feet of Jesus enjoying His presence and listening to Him. The focus was communion with God.
After that came the sermon from our speaker, Reverend Ed Pousson. The title of his sermon was ‘A Table for Two.’ The key question that he kept asking throughout his sermon in different ways was – ‘Is there room in your heart for Jesus?’
I was pleasantly surprised.
I knew the sermon title in advance. However, I had no idea what he was going to preach. It has been my practice all these years to let the invited speakers choose their own topics to preach. I would always tell them, “As the Lord leads you.”
As you can see, the Lord is clearly leading the worship leader, the service anchor, and the speaker. Nobody knew the content of the sermon except for the speaker. The sequence of events was unplanned, uncoordinated, and unrehearsed.
You cannot fail to see the coincidences. I believe that many attending the service spotted the ‘coincidences’ barely a few minutes into the sermon. God is clearly orchestrating the chain of events. He is clearly speaking to our church.
This is the word of God for our church in this season. It is also a personal word for me.
Losing the First Love
I have been feeling extremely tired and exhausted physically, mentally, and spiritually lately. As a result, my time alone with God can be summed up as scattered and distracted, which leaves much to be desired.
When I pray, it is usually directed at certain tasks, fighting battles, and resolving problems. I find it hard to quiet my soul before the Lord and fellowship with him. My quiet time with God was simply too noisy. I feel detached and somewhat distant. It has been unsettling for me.
In the last two weeks, my mind kept going to Jesus’ letter to the church in Ephesus.
The Ephesian church was excellent in many ways. Jesus commended the believers there for their faithfulness, commitment, and patient endurance. He also commended them for their doctrinal purity and the courage to confront false teachings. It was certainly a model church.
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The Ephesian believers’ commitment to truth and ministry works is faultless. But they had lost sight of why they served in the first place. The primary motive ought always to be Jesus. Christian service finds its purpose and significance in Christ alone. Apart from Him, it loses its meaning and value. It counts for nothing.
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However, Jesus placed His finger on an issue which most people know is important but would probably not take it too seriously. The Lord expressed His disappointment and displeasure using rather strong words – “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4).
Your first love’ refers to the Ephesian believers’ love for Jesus when they first came to know Him. It probably also included their love for fellow believers.
The Ephesian believers’ commitment to truth and ministry works is faultless. But they had lost sight of why they served in the first place. The primary motive ought always to be Jesus. Christian service finds its purpose and significance in Christ alone. Apart from Him, it loses its meaning and value. It counts for nothing.
I am certainly not exaggerating my point. On the day of judgement, some professing believers will be shocked to hear Jesus say to them, “I never knew you” despite their active service (Matthew 7:23). In other words, Jesus has no relationship with them. Ministry without love is futile. It is pointless.
Losing our love for Jesus is no small matter.
I suppose nobody loses his love for the Lord overnight. Nobody wakes up one morning and discovers that he has suddenly lost his affection for Christ. Falling out of love happens gradually over time, often out of neglect and a failure to nurture our relationship with Him. Therefore, we cannot afford to be careless in our relationship with Jesus. Consistent and careful nurturing is necessary.
The reminder of Jesus’ words to the Ephesian church and the sequence of events during last Sunday’s service are certainly not a coincidence.
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We must ask ourselves two pertinent questions. Why is God calling us as a church to make room for Him in our hearts? What is His concern for us?
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We love it when God speaks loudly and clearly to us. It shows His love, care, and concern for us.
How we respond when the Lord speaks is important.
We must ask ourselves two pertinent questions. Why is God calling us as a church to make room for Him in our hearts? What is His concern for us?
The short answer is that we have neglected God and therefore, He is concerned. Not because He feels slighted and unwelcome but He is concerned that we are drifting away, or we have drifted away from Him to our detriment.
Let me elaborate.
For Those Who Lead Busy & Distracted Lives
We live busy and distracted lives. For various reasons, good and bad, we have little or no time for unhurried communion with Jesus. We rush through our daily devotion. Perhaps, some do not even have their quiet time with the Lord. Even those who set aside time daily to pray and read the Bible come to Jesus with preoccupied minds and cluttered hearts. We are inundated with cares and concerns.
As Ed Pousson asked in his sermon, “There is room at the cross for you. Is there room in your heart for Jesus?”
Pousson made an interesting comment about Simon, the Pharisee, who invited Jesus to dine in his house – “He received Jesus into his house but not into his heart.”
Pousson also gave several memorable takes on the familiar story of Martha and Mary.
Here is one of his pithy quotes - “Martha served with a distracted heart, but Mary sat at the feet of Jesus savouring every word He said.”
Here is another quote – “Martha entertained Jesus in her home. Mary received Him into her heart… Martha cooked a meal for Jesus, but Jesus and Mary had a private feast together.”
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God is speaking to us loudly and clearly. He is reminding us to make room for Jesus and be a good host to His Son.
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Who do you think is the better host? The answer is clear. Mary, of course.
God is speaking to us loudly and clearly. He is reminding us to make room for Jesus and be a good host to His Son.
Do not be like Martha, who opened her house but she was too busy to sit down and fellowship with Jesus. You also do not want to be like Simon, who after inviting Jesus into his house, neglected to show Him hospitality. Neither do we want to be like the church in Laodicea where Jesus was locked out of its door (Revelation 3:20).
God is calling us to slow down, quiet our hearts, and have good fellowship with Him.
For Those Who are Anxious about the End Time
Many believers who are discerning and anticipating the soon return of Jesus are deeply concerned with the terrible times ahead. For some, their concern has turned into an obsession with what is going to happen next. Their minds are preoccupied with the next conspiratorial event and how they can protect themselves. As a result, they are constantly filled with anxiety and laden with fear.
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We must stay alert, vigilant, and informed. But it is unhealthy to get so caught up to the extent that Jesus gets crowded out of your heart.
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Don’t get me wrong. We must stay alert, vigilant, and informed. But it is unhealthy to get so caught up to the extent that Jesus gets crowded out of your heart.
When that happens, you lose sight of the big picture that Jesus is in sovereign control. As long as you are in the centre of God’s will, you will be safe in Him. As the psalmist said, “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you… Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge— no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent” (Psalm 91:7-10 - ESV).
For those of you who fall into this category, God is also speaking to you. He wants you to make room for Him in your heart. So, invite Him to make your heart His dwelling place, and His peace and assurance will fill you through and through.